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By Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 10, 2001
-- Read privacy statements to find out the company's policy and how it will use your personal information. Some keep it only for their records, while others sell it.
-- Give personal information only to companies you trust and when your credit card number, address or other personal data are relevant to a purchase.
-- If a Web site prompts you to set up an account, create a password with as many characters as possible, and use numbers and letters.
-- Ask your credit card company about liability limits in the event fraud is committed against you.
-- Use a secure connection. Once you reach the checkout page on a site, the Web address typically starts with "https" instead of "http" to denote security. Also, a padlock or a key appears in the border of your browser window.
-- Cookies are small text files created by Web sites and stored on your computer so that the next time you visit, the site can automatically access your information. Most Internet browsers have an option that allows you to protect yourself from cookies.