Safety and Security Tips: Buying on Amazon.com
Amazon.com is concerned about the safety and security of our customers. Accordingly, we have put a number of technological protections in place to ensure that our transaction process is extremely safe and that our customers' information is secure.
Additionally, Amazon.com takes a number of steps to help ensure that our seller platforms are safe and that our sellers are of the highest quality. However, keep in mind that customer protection is a two-way street. When buying or selling on any online venue, caution must always be practiced.
The overwhelming majority of online transactions are completed without incident. While the possibility of being defrauded by a seller is minimal, there are some risks. Amazon.com has developed the following guidelines to help ensure that your online shopping experience is safe and secure.
- If using a public computer or terminal, always log out when you complete an online session.
- Keep your passwords private. Remember, anybody who knows your password may access your account.
- When creating a password, use at least 8 characters--a combination of letters and numbers is best. Do not use dictionary words, your name, e-mail address, or other personal information that can be easily obtained. It is also recommended that you frequently change your password. If you need assistance with this, visit our Changing Your Password Help page.
- Avoid using the same password for multiple online accounts.
- Passwords are case sensitive. For instance, "PASSWORD" and "Password" are two different passwords. When choosing a password, remember the capitalization you use.
- Passwords must be a minimum of 6 characters.
- It's best to avoid passwords that are easy to guess, such as "secret," "password," or "letmein." We also suggest that you avoid using your name, e-mail address, or other personal information that is easily obtained.
- Though it's not a requirement, adding numbers or special characters to your password will make it even stronger. For example, the password "rivers2!%" is a much stronger password than "rivers."
- Guard your password carefully. Remember, anyone who knows your password may access your account.
- Buyers should always research a seller's feedback history prior to initiating a transaction. Feedback is the leading indicator of a seller's overall quality. Look for clues within a seller's feedback that indicate the following: The ability to fulfill and ship orders in a timely fashion, a seller's willingness to resolve transaction disputes, and an indication that the quality of the products shipped matches the description supplied by the seller. Learn more about seller feedback.
- Paying for items through Amazon.com's Shopping Cart or 1-Click is safe, secure, guaranteed, and provides buyers with a convenient method of payment. Paying through Amazon is the only authorized and recognized form of payment for Marketplace purchases. Marketplace sellers may only use Amazon to complete transactions.
- Regardless of circumstances, buyers should never pay for a Marketplace item using an alternative form of payment such as wire transfer, credit card, money orders, check, cash, etc.
- Marketplace transactions paid for using alternative forms of payment are not eligible for protection under the Amazon.com A-to-z Guarantee; therefore, it is extremely important that buyers only use Marketplace Payments by Amazon to complete Marketplace transactions.