moneyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, estimated quarterly retail e-commerce sales in the U.S. have risen to almost ten percent. That approximately six percent increase in the last ten years has led to more financial transactions online. With that being said, here are some ways to stay safe when purchasing those Valentine’s Day gifts on the web.

One of the most important signs to look for when shopping online is the presence of a secure site. Guthrie County State Bank Executive Vice President Jamie Patrick explains the difference between secure and unsecure sites. “You just want to be careful when you’re using online that you’re going to the sites that have the ‘HTTPS’ and not the ‘HTTP,’ because that indicates a secure transaction site.”

Patrick also strongly discourages using public WiFi to complete transactions in places such as coffee shops, airports, and restaurants. “Even if there’s a password, if you’ve been given the password, then so has the hacker sitting at the table next to you. So it’s not a good idea.”

She also recommends not selecting the “remember this card” option on most sites, as that could lead to stolen information and fraudulent charges. Patrick did say however, that using a debit card is safe online. However, she recommends using a credit card primarily if available.