make sure they are a reputable company and have contact information
including address and phone number before making any purchases (a lot of
scam sites don't list a way to contact them except by email)
make sure if you shop by credit card purchase (yes, I do shop online)
that they are using a "secured site" which means it will say
https:// instead of http:// in front of the web address of the actual page
taking your credit card information
sign up for a free email account and use THAT when you enter
contests (a lot of times they start sending you emails about their
products/newsletters and this saves your personal mailbox from getting
flooded)
