With the ease of online shopping, more and more people are giving out their credit card information on the Internet. While it may seem incredibly easy to just type in a few numbers and receive your purchased item within days, it can also be quite unsafe. Here’s a useful list from we know money on credit cards about certain things you need to consider before you simply give out your credit card information online. By taking these tips into account, you will have a safer and more fulfilling experience when shopping online. It is possible to shop for all of your favorite things on the Internet without risking your own safety.
Knowing About Scam Websites
The rise in popularity of online shopping has also meant a rise in scam and phishing sites. Scam sites may appear to be legitimate, but they simply steal your account information and use it for themselves. For example, online overseas pharmacies that do not require doctor prescriptions are notorious scams and should be avoided at all costs. These sites normally look professional, but they are indeed scams that use your information. You may find charges put onto your credit card after you share your information with this type of website.
One thing to do before you put in any type of information is to research that specific company or website. Do not just use the site’s testimonials page, since many of these have been written by the website owner themselves. You should look at the Better Business Bureau to see if the company has a bad reputation or is in good standing. There are times when you will find nothing wrong with a particular site, but there are times when you may find comments made by customers on how their credit card information was stolen from the site.
Avoiding Phishing Websites
A phishing site is similar to a scam site, but it works a bit differently. This type of site resembles one of the more popular sites on the Internet, but the URL in your address box will be different. You may be lured to a phishing site through a link in an email or by simply putting in the URL address wrong. The best way to avoid giving out credit card information to one of these sites is to carefully look at your address box to ensure that everything has been spelled correctly. You may also want to bookmark these important pages so that you can avoid inputting the information in wrong when typing it out.
Suspicious E-Mails
Many people who shop online will normally receive a confirmation and shipping email from their sender. These are both normal emails that you should expect after placing an order on the Internet. One email that you should not receive is an email from the shop owner asking for your credit card information again. It is important to remember that this type of information is sent to the online store through a secure application that keeps it secure. Your email will not keep this type of information secure and many shop owners know this. For this reason, you should never disclose your credit card information through an email.
If you notice the online store owner emailing you for more credit card information, it is a good idea to ignore these emails and to also verify that they are coming from the actual website that you ordered from. If they appear to be coming from another person, you may want to contact the store you bought your items from and let them know what is going on. They may be able to put a stop to the scam artist who is trying to get your credit card information from you via email.
Giving out your credit card information online can seem scary, but most of the time it is very safe. The majority of websites that sell items are completely secure and you normally have nothing to worry about when shopping online. The tips discussed are simply to keep you even safer when shopping on the Internet. By avoiding the above circumstances, you will find your online experience to be one that is safe and comfortable for you each day.