Fort Worth, Texas ? These days, you can couch-shop online in your pajamas while sporting bed-head. But while Internet shopping may be easy and sometimes cheaper, the Federal Trade Commission and police want to make sure you do it safely.

The commission has offered these tips for safe online shopping:

¢ Know whom you are dealing with. Confirm the online seller’s physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems. If you get an e-mail or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, never reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies do not ask for this information via e-mail.

¢ Know exactly what you are buying. Read the seller’s description of the product closely, especially the fine print. Words like refurbished, vintage, or close-out may indicate that the product is in less-than-mint condition, while name-brand items with “too-good-to-be-true” prices could be counterfeits.

¢ Know what it will cost. Check out Web sites that offer price comparisons. To receive the best consumer protections, pay with a credit card. Factor shipping and handling – along with your needs and budget – into the total cost of the order. Do not send cash.

¢ Check out the terms of the deal, such as refund policies and delivery dates. Make sure you understand the seller’s return and refund policies. Find out when you can expect to receive your order. The FTC requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no specific date is promised.

¢ Keep paperwork. Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt and copies of correspondence with the seller. Read your credit card statements and watch for unauthorized charges.

¢ Never e-mail your personal information. E-mail is not a secure method of transmitting financial information like your credit card number, checking account or Social Security number. If you want to pay for something through an organization’s Web site, look for indicators that the site is secure such as a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL that begins “https.” The “s” stands for secure.

¢ Check the privacy policy. The site should let you know what personal information its operators are collecting and why and how the information will be used. If you cannot find a privacy policy, consider taking your business to another site.