Are you concerned about shopping on the internet? You are certainly not alone. Many people are leery of shopping on the internet. We constantly hear stories about viruses and worms, spam and scams, and identity theft - to say nothing of the whole new vocabulary you need to learn just to use the internet. It is really a lot to think about!

But the fact is there are more and more businesses offering their products on the internet every day. The internet is not going to go away, so as "they" say, "if you can't beat them, join them". The real issue then is for us to know when it's safe to shop and how we can protect ourselves from those pesky people making life on the internet such an adventure.

Midwest Craft Fair's head of technology is Dana Thompson. She has worked in various capacities within the technology industry for over 15 years. As an Information Systems Director for one of the Fortune 500 companies, she was responsible for the security of some of their internet systems. Here are three tips from Dana for safeguarding your online shopping so you can enjoy all the internet has to offer.

1.       Never give your credit card information through the internet unless the page is secure - In the major browsers look for a small "lock" image in the lower right hand corner of the page and verify that the address bar in the browser's page heading says "https://" rather than just "http://". This indicates a "secure" and "safe" page. Only the page requesting your credit card number needs to be secured this way.

2.       Read the site's security guarantee before shopping - Make sure the site has a published security policy. It should be accessible from their home page. Also, if it does not explicitly say they will not give out your information, think about what that means.

3.       Be careful when using email - Email is not secure. Do not open email from unknown senders. Computer viruses almost always get to your computer via email or its attachments. Be aware that Microsoft, Pay Pal, or any other legitimate business would never ask you to send credit card information, personal identification or account information in an email. Credit card companies do not request that you update account information by sending you an email with a link in it. Make sure that you have initiated any activity that requests personal information.

The internet is a fascinating, effective, entertaining tool for communication, research, fun and shopping. Don't let security issues keep you from taking advantage of all its benefits. Remember Dana's tips and be sure to visit www.MidwestCraftFair.com for some great, safe internet shopping.

'See You at the Fair!'