Before you start (or finish) your holiday shopping, remember the following tips to help avoid problems and make the most of your purchases.

Think twice before using random ATM machines. In a ploy called skimming, scam artists steal consumers’ debit card information by placing special equipment over card readers in ATM machines and gas station pumps. Free-standing ATMs, especially those located in dark or unmonitored areas, may be especially at risk. To protect yourself, use ATMs located within your bank or another public, secure area. When pumping gas, consider using another form of payment (such as cash or a credit card) instead of your debit card.

Buying online? Some “free” offers will cost you. When shopping online, take your time to read all terms and conditions. Some free trial offers are actually part of a billing practice known as negative option. If you fail to cancel the offer within a specific and often narrow timeframe, you may be billed automatically. Plus, some consumers fail to check “No thanks” for offers that will tack on extra charges. Read all information before you click to the next page of a website.

Pay with credit over debit. When you pay by credit card, your transaction is protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute unauthorized charges on your credit card and you are held liable only for $50 of unauthorized charges. You must dispute the charges in writing within 60 days or two billing cycles. Debit cards may not provide such protection against unauthorized charges.

Understand layaway programs. Layaway plans allow consumers to pay in increments before obtaining the product, serving as an alternative to credit or payment in full. To avoid problems, check a store’s written layaway policy before entering into a layaway plan. Specifically find out whether your money will be returned if you begin making payments but later change your mind about buying the product.

Ask for a rain check. If you respond to an ad and find the advertised goods are sold out, you have the right to a rain check, unless the ad mentions the number of goods available or states that the store is selling seasonal or clearance items only.

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