How To Keep Your Credit Card Information Safe When Shopping Online
These days, online retailing is so much more than just a fun, convenient way to get your shopping done when you can't make it to a brick and mortar store. For most people, it's become a lifesaver and a necessity, especially around the holidays when just about everyone has a lot on their plate. However, it's important not to let convenience get in the way of protecting your sensitive personal and financial information. The following tips can help you enjoy the online shopping experiences you love without compromising your credit card info in the process.
Think Twice About Storing Credit Card Info Online
Whether you shop at a particular website often or are just cruising through to make a one-time purchase, most sites will give you the option of storing your credit card information on their servers to make future purchases easier and more convenient. If you've ever wondered just how safe that is, you were right to do so. data breaches are more common than most people really want to think they are, and if your credit card information is stored anywhere other than your memory, there's always the possibility of it falling into the wrong hands sooner or later.
That said, it's important to use caution when allowing retail websites to store your credit card information for you. If you absolutely must take advantage of this convenience, limit it to websites where you shop frequently enough for it to make sense. Check your credit accounts frequently for evidence of fraud or identity theft so breaches can be addressed as soon as possible as well. In the event you decide to stop storing credit card info online altogether, you can always go the old school route and memorize your credit card numbers so they're readily available in a pinch.
Choose the Sites Where You Shop With Care
Most modern retail websites have a solid understanding of how important security is to the average consumer these days, so it's naturally a huge priority to them as well. However, it's still well worth your while to take a quick look around before you make a purchase or otherwise share any of your personal information with the site's interface. Pay special attention to the following:
* Check to see whether the site is SSL certified by checking for the "S" in the "HTTPS" portion of the web address.
* Look for a trust seal posted anywhere on the website, and verify its legitimacy by clicking on it to see if it leads to a verification page.
* Be aware of any evidence of a possible malware infection (e.g. pop-ups that seem suspicious, defacements, or SEO spam).
* Pay attention to warnings from your search engine, browser, or malware protection that there may be something wrong with the site.
It's also a good idea to become familiar with AWS PCI compliance and make sure all the online merchants you shop with make it a point to stay compliant. If it's not clear from the information posted on their website, it never hurts to speak to a representative and ask.
What Else Can You Do To Protect Yourself?
Even when you take care to shop with the most secure vendors, it's still important to think smart when it comes to how, where, and when you use each of your cards. Start by choosing the establishments where you bank or keep lines of credit with care. Pay extra special attention to their policies on fraud and identify theft. Ultimately, you want to give your business to companies that care as much about security as you do and will take good care of you should anything ever happen.
You can take additional steps to protect your information online as well. For instance, avoid shopping online with a debit card so that you're not stuck without your funds should they be stolen or compromised. Intermediaries like PayPal or BillMeLater can be helpful ways to keep your actual card information out of harms way as well. Explore the possibilities today, and shop safely this holiday season!
