Question: Access www.outofservice.com, and answer the musical taste and personality survey. When you have finished, click on "Results" and see what your musical tastes say about your personality. How accurate are the findings about you? Chapter Addendum: Tips for Safe Electronic Shopping

• Look for reliable brand names at sites such as Walmart Online, Disney Online, and Amazon. Before purchasing, make sure that the site is authentic by entering the site directly and not from an unverified link.

• Search any unfamiliar selling site for the company's address and phone and fax numbers. Call up and quiz the employees about the seller.

• Check out the vendor with the local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau. Look for seals of authenticity such as TRUSTe.

• Investigate how secure the seller's site is by examining the security procedures and by reading the posted privacy policy.

• Examine the money-back guarantees, warranties, and service agreements.

• Compare prices with those in regular stores. Too-low prices are too good to be true and some catch is probably involved.

• Ask friends what they know. Find testimonials and endorsements on community Web sites and well-known bulletin boards.

• Find out what your rights are in case of a dispute. Consult consumer protection agencies and the National Consumer League's Fraud Center.

• Check Consumer world for a collection of useful resources.

• For many types of products, reseller ratings is a useful resource.