I'm not an expert on this subject, but wanted to add something regarding the 'lil' lock'.
I always click to find out which company is signing the certificate when I'm buying something from a new site, etc. If I don't see the biggies listed (Thawte, Verisign), I hit the road.
That's just me though
nihil> Thanks for the idea. Never thought of using a low-limit credit card for web purchases, but it makes perfect sense.