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Secure Your Online Credit Card Transactions |
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by: Debbie Dragon
It seems that everything can be managed online these days. Your credit cards are no exception. Just as you can use your credit cards to make purchases and pay bills over the internet for convenience, there are a number of other ways you can manage your credit card usage online. Some people feel using a credit card online is risky – but in most situations it's actually a more secure environment than when you give your credit card to your waiter or cashier in a retail establishment! Using some preventative measures, you can further reduce your online credit card usage risks. Here are some tips for using credit cards online securely:
Online Credit Card Applications
In order to apply for a credit card, the issuer requires several pieces of identifying information from you in order to determine your eligibility for a credit card. When you apply online from reputable websites, the information is encrypted and sent over a secure server. Check to make sure the URL contains “https” instead of the standard “http” as that indicates the use of a secure server.
Using an online application is actually considered more secure for your financial information than sending it through the mail. When you place your card application in the mailbox, it's exposed to a number of people before it reaches the credit card company. There are many opportunities for people to steal the envelope – and your identity.
Online Account Access and Security Features
Most credit cards are now offering online access to your credit card account, statement, and payment history. This allows you to see transactions as they happen – and you can easily keep an eye on the account to make sure there are no unauthorized transactions occurring. In some cases, you can request that you get emailed or sent a phone text message whenever a purchase meets certain criteria (is over a certain dollar amount, for example), which gives you another layer of protection against unauthorized charges and identity theft.
Using Your Credit Card Online
Whenever using your credit card to shop online, you want to make sure you're shopping from a reputable website. Once you've verified that the URL shows “https” to indicate it's protected with SSL (secure soekets layer) you might also check for reports on the Better Business Bureau and/or RipOffReports.com to ensure that other consumers haven't had any problems with the retailer before making your purchase.
Be Aware of Phishing
Phishing is a term that describes the most common way for consumers to become victims of identity theft. In most cases, victims actually give up their personal data because they feel they're doing so on a secure site or through a secure email with their financial company – but it turns out that scammers send emails that appear to be coming from legitimate companies asking for personal information to confirm your account details.
Never enter personal information based on an email you receive, or to win a prize. A credit card company or bank will never ask you to send personal information via email. If you are linked to a website from an email, don't enter your information. Call your banking institution because chances are, that email is a 'fake link' that brings you to a 'fake website' that looks exactly like your actual bank site! If you enter your information here, it goes right into the hands of fraudsters who will steal your identity.
Using your credit cards online is safe as long as you take precautions to prevent fraud – just like you take precautions to keep your card safe when you go out shopping in person.
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Credit Card Articles > Credit Card Security > Secure Your Online Credit Card Transactions
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