You will have to fill out a form stating that you are a citizen of the U.S. or Canada or a legal resident alien as it is currently illegal to export this level of encryption technology. But that's another story. If you are using a browser with 128-bit encryption and ordering through a secure site, it is virtually impossible for anyone to compromise your personal information. Even using weaker encryption, online shopping is very safe. It's just not cost-effective for anyone to try to steal your information.
Scams abound on the Net.
There are unscrupulous operators out there. The best way to protect yourself is to know whom you are doing business with. You wouldn't buy a new car from some guy on the corner. The easiest way to enter the world of Net commerce safely is through a Web portal, the malls of the online world. Retailers pay big bucks for space on the major portals like Netscape, AOL, Microsoft, and others.