1. Know your Merchant:
It's a good practice to be familiar with the name or reputation of any company you're dealing with. You can often find helpful information about online companies from Internet news sources, directories, and rating services. (Keep in mind that Yahoo! recommends to all merchants within Yahoo! Shopping that they post relevant information about themselves and their business on an "Information" page. Often this will be called "info" or "about us"

2. Protect your privacy:
Know what information the merchant is collecting about you, how it will be used, and if they share it with or sell it to others. You can do this by checking the web site to make sure there is a privacy policy posted, and that you're comfortable with the way your personal information is treated under that policy. Be cautious if you're asked to supply personal information not needed to make a purchase, such as your personal bank account information. (We post a link to our Yahoo! Privacy Policy at the bottom of most Yahoo! pages. In our policy, written in collaboration with the TRUSTe organisation, we explain when and where we collect personal information, and how we use it.

3. Get the Details:
Check for expected delivery dates, shipping and handling fees, warranties, return policies, and other important information. Look for an email address to write to (or a phone number to call) if you have a question, a problem, or if you need help. All Yahoo! Shopping merchants post this pertinent information on their "Info" pages and they stay in touch with customers using the email and order-tracking tools that we provide.

4. Use a Credit Card and Safeguard Your Password:
It's a good practice to pay with credit cards, because under credit card agreement your liability for an unauthorised charge is limited to $50. When using a credit card online, look for an unbroken key or padlock (a graphical icon usually located in the bottom corner of the web page), or for a policy that indicates use of strong security technology such as SSL. This indicates that your credit card data is transmitted securely. Keep your passwords safe, and don't share them with other people. Yahoo! Shopping makes credit card purchases simple and safe, with the use of an SSL-secure server.

5. Keep Good Records:
Make sure to print or save electronically any records related to your online transactions. This will help you keep track of shipping dates, shipping and handling fees, and other details of your transactions. Yahoo! Shopping allows for merchants to send an automatic email confirmation to be sent whenever someone orders something. The system also allows for subsequent email updates, and always includes the URL for online order tracking. We recommend to all Yahoo! Shopping merchants that they use this tool. It's a great way to stay in touch and allow customers to update their records.)

 To file a complaint about a fraudulent business practice or to get free information on how to spot, stop, and avoid one, call The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, on (02) 6207 0400 or visit www.accc.gov.au and click on "Consumer Protection."