Shopping by computer is supposed to be safe, easy and fun. No traffic to deal with, no trudging from mall to mall and no Musak while you wait on hold. But many consumers are wary of typing in their credit-card numbers online. So how to make a purchase in the virtual mall?
American Express has recently come out with a free brochure to advise concerned consumers. It outlines encryption, how safe passwords should be, what should set off alarm bells and what recourse consumers have if they think they've been taken for a ride. To receive a copy, visit American Express's Web site at (http://americanexpress.com) and look for the link, or write to American Express; P.O. Box 4635; Trenton, NJ 08650-4635.
- Eric C. Evarts