Don't have enough time to shop? Then shopping online is your best bet to get a step closer to what you want.

Internet use has boomed and expanded and so has online shopping. There are thousands of websites that you can go to can order anything like videogames, books, clothes and food. CraigsList.org, Bestbuy.com, EBay.com and Amazon.com are just a few websites people can visit for their shopping needs.



There are various reasons that people are ordering things from the internet. “I sometimes get lazy and I don’t feel like going to the store,” senior Ana Munoz says. Availability, convenience and most important of all the price are the main reasons why people shop online.

"It's cheaper," senior Cierra Mickle says. Although online stores have better deals and bargains, one must be cautious about submitting information over the internet.

Online shopping is increasing because of the holiday season. With that being said, people must watch out for various scams. The biggest of all credit card fraud. 

According to ezinearticles.com, there are some easy tips to preventing identity theft that you need to know. 

One is never give your social security number to anyone unless it is an absolute emergency. Some companies require you to instead use your the last four digits of your social security number to identify yourself. Second, always check your end of month bills in order to spot any charges that you did not make. Third, try avoiding giving out your personal information. One of the simplest ways to become a victim of identity theft is by your private information. Fourth, always make sure to shred or properly dispose of financial documents and paperwork that has personal information on it.



There are various programs out there that can help fight identity theft.  Anti Identity Theft, Identity Finder and XoftSpySE are some good programs that can prevent identity theft from ever occurring.

"I don't shop online because there are a lot of problems and risks," junior Sherita Dolby said. People shy away from online shopping due to the many risks and dangers.

Shopping online has to be done in a safe manner and most importantly use common sense. There are crooks out there and every website is not a trusted one. Be careful when giving out your credit card and personal information this holiday season.