If you are considering buying Viagra online, you are not alone – it is increasingly common for people to reach out and buy Viagra online as opposed to through a traditional pharmacy, often this is because buying Viagra is considered to be embarrassing or awkward for the person doing the purchasing, and the anonymity of a website is a convenient way of getting around it.

While that anonymity is great for the customer who wants to save face, or isn’t interested in chatting with Fred the pharmacist while filling out a prescription, there are also some potential pitfalls to buying Viagra online.

We’re taking a look at some helpful safe shopping tips for when you use the internet to make purchases. While we’re examining them in the context of a person who wants to buy Viagra online, due to the particular bias of our website, these tips are applicable to nearly all of your e-shopping experiences. Bookmark this page and keep it on file if you’re a new shopper, because it’s a great way to pick out the scam artists and protect your money.

• Check out the background of the company you are purchasing from. Are there customer reviews and message boards? Search Google.com for any mention of the company that isn’t coming directly off of their website – see what people are saying. This is a simple step that can save you a lot of hassle later down the line.

• Check out the security they are using. This means noting the website’s address bar, which is the space at the top of your browser. If you are entering private information, it should read ‘https’ not ‘http’. A small logo of a yellow lock should also be visible, usually in the left hand side of the address bar. If these things are missing, try elsewhere, they aren’t using secure technology. Don’t take a risk with these things!

• Be sure that they’re only asking information of you that is directly necessary – that means your billing address, and an alternate mailing address. If you are preparing to enter your credit card number you should not be filling out a questionnaire. Often this is a sign that they intend to sell your information to other marketers, which can be a tremendous headache. No one will need your Social Security number, or anything of that nature.

Of course the most important thing to be sure of is your own safety – if you are buying Viagra online, only do so with the blessing of a doctor – ensure that when you buy Viagra online you are fully informed of the risks and complications of this drug.