UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Today's technological advances allow consumers to shop almost anytime and anyplace from home. But it's important to know the rules and tools that will protect you from con artists and unprincipled business folks trying to make a fast buck, says a consumer scientist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"While there may be great opportunities for good buys and unusual items, shopping from home does have its risks," says Cathy Bowen, assistant professor of agricultural and extension education. Shopping from home includes online/e-commerce, telemarketing, mail order, door-to-door, yard sales and flea markets.

"Here are some key points to remember when shopping from home," she says.

Know who you are dealing with. "Find out the seller's location and reputation," Bowen says. "What is their street address and phone number? Do they belong to a trade group, or take part in a program such as the Better Business Bureau's program for online merchants at http://www.BBBOnLine?"

Protect your privacy. Bowen recommends that home shoppers only provide personal information if they know who is collecting it, why they are collecting it and how the information will be used. Good Web sites should allow you to choose whether and how your personal information will be shared.

Pay the safest way. "Know the different options for paying and use the one that offers the best protection," Bowen says. When shopping online, thieves can intercept credit card, debit card or other payment information. Information stored in company databases also may be retrieved by hackers or dishonest employees.

The National Consumers League (NCL) recommends credit cards as usually being the safest way to pay, because you can legally dispute the charges if the product or service is misrepresented or never delivered. You also have limited liability if your card number is stolen or misused. If the company doesn't accept credit cards, NCL says, you might consider using an escrow service that will hold your money until you are satisfied with the purchase.

If you do a lot of shopping on the Internet, Bowen suggests having a designated credit card with a low credit line specifically for that purpose.

Know what you are buying. "It's important to get a complete description of the product or service, and all of the terms of the transaction," she says. "When buying used items, make sure they meet safety standards."

When making purchases online, The National Consumers League suggests you print out all of the information for online transactions, including product description, delivery information, privacy policy, warranties and confirmation notices.

Think through your purchase. "Don't act on impulse or because of pressure," Bowen says. Know who to complain to. "If you have a problem, and cannot get satisfaction from the company, find out what government agencies, industry organizations or other groups can help you," Bowen says. "The Federal Trade Commission offers an online complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.htm."

To raise consumer awareness of protection and education efforts being made nationwide, Feb. 14-20 has been set aside as National Consumer Protection Week. This year's theme, "Armchair Armor: Shopping Safely From Home," addresses the growing technological advances and issues that allow today's consumers to conveniently shop from home. For more information, see http://www.consumer.gov/ncpw.

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EDITORS: For more information, Cathy Bowen can be reached at 814-863-7869.

Contacts: Kim Dionis KDionis@psu.edu 814-863-2703 814-865-1068 fax