How To Practice Credit Card Safety When Shopping Online
Posted by: Staff Writer | Jul 21,2007
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Sometimes it seems that the Internet is plagued by problems. We hear stories about virulent viruses and worms swarming out there in ether-space on the prowl for innocent laptops. And thieves are sitting by their terminals trying to break into ours. As long as you follow some basic guidelines, however, you can safely transact business online.
Choose Companies You KnowThe easiest way to start is by choosing to conduct business with legitimate companies. Banks, financial institutions and stores that have a long history are good options. Avoid companies that you have never heard of or can't find any information on. At the same time, there may be instances in which only an obscure website will have an item you need. If that's the case, make sure that the website is locked and secure and you follow the following internet safety tips:
Use a Secure BrowserYou want the personal and credit card information that you're transmitting to be scrambled so that it can't be understood by someone trying to steal it. If the website you're using does not encrypt the information, your browser will typically warn you unless you're using an outdated version. Don't risk it. Update to the latest version of your browser so that you're warned of such websites.
Avoid Suspicious EmailDelete email you get from people you don't know. Don't even open it. And definitely never reply to the email, even if you're just asking sender not to bother you. Any response means you opened and read the email and that will only make you receive more. It's very important to keep in mind that you can download an attachment to your harddrive merely by opening up an email. You do NOT have to manually click on a download link.
Use Password Protection
Most websites ask you to create a password when you register. If the website contains anything valuable information about you then you should not make up a password that uses something obvious such as your birthday or your house address. Many people will use a child's name or birthday, which are two areas to avoid. Also, don't make a thief's job easier by using the same password for all your websites. Finally, try to utilize a combination of letters and numbers in your passwords to make it more difficult for a criminal to figure out.
Use One Credit CardA good way to simplify your information and to keep track of online purchases is to use only one credit card for such purposes. This makes it much easier to monitor credit card purchases and check to see each month if you've been the victim of fraud.
Switch to Online BankingThis is one way the Internet can actually help safeguard your personal information. By choosing to enroll in paperless statements instead of receiving your monthly bank and credit card statements on paper, you are less vulnerable to this type of theft. Be certain that your computer is wiped clean of spyware and viruses before signing on to a bank's or credit card company's website.
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