"We believe that more Americans will shop online during this holiday season than ever before," said Kevin Brand, EarthLink's senior vice president of product management. "Shopping online continues to be a safe and enjoyable experience, and we predict more people will be buying online this season because of the tremendous cost benefits." (http://www.earthlink.net)

It All Starts With Internet Access

Having a solid Internet connection from a company you trust is critical to product ordering, as well as entering your credit card and other personal information. A reliable dial-up connection will do, though a high-speed Internet service like Freestanding DSL, DSL or cable Internet will speed up your shopping considerably. EarthLink offers a full range of Internet access services nationwide available at http://www.earthlink.net. EarthLink also offers its members a free integrated suite of protection and security features with their Protection Control Center.

Savvy Shopping
When looking for the best deals, start with a site that lets you compare prices for a wide variety of merchandise. EarthLink offers an easy price comparison tool on its my.EarthLink.net Start Page - http://my.earthlink.net, as well as access to a host of ecommerce partners like Amazon, Expedia and eBay.

Pay the Smart Way
When you're shopping online, a credit card is essential. For added security, some card issuers allow you to set up additional safeguards to protect you while paying for goods online, such as temporary "virtual" account numbers.

Encryption is Your Friend
Any shopping site worthy of your business uses a technology called Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, to encrypt (i.e., scramble) personal information.
There are two ways to tell whether the Web page you're viewing uses SSL - (1) the address of any page that asks for your credit card number or other sensitive information should begin with https:// (2) look for a closed padlock icon within your browser window.

Know Your (Liability) Limits

A smart shopper knows the law when it comes to credit and check/debit card fraud.

Make sure you understand your card's fraud liability policy, which can be found on your credit card's company website.

There are also U.S. federal laws that limit your liability for fraudulent charges on credit and check/debit cards, for details visit www.ftc.gov.

Watch for the Scam

EarthLink offers a free Toolbar to all Internet users that provide security and blocking tools to help protect you from Internet scams and guard information you want to remain private.

Happy Shopping!

About EarthLink
"EarthLink. We revolve around you™." As the nation's Internet expert, Atlanta-based EarthLink has earned an award-winning reputation for outstanding customer service and its suite of online products and services. Serving millions of subscribers, EarthLink offers what every user should expect from their ISP: high-quality connectivity, minimal online intrusions and customizable features. Whether it's dial up, high-speed Internet services like DSL and cable Internet, home phone service, Web hosting, or "EarthLink Extras" like home networking or security, EarthLink connects people to the power and possibilities of the Internet. Learn more about EarthLink by calling (800) EARTHLINK or visiting EarthLink's Web site at www.EarthLink.net.