Steps
- Never send your credit card number by email. Programs exist that constantly search email communication for key words and number structures related to credit card transactions, including sending the number in parts. If no other means exist, just telephone the recipient and give the number over the telephone line.
- Ask yourself whether the person or company you are dealing with has credibility and is someone you feel you can trust. If you are responding to a small ad, ask yourself whether paying by credit card is sensible. Why doesn?t the recipient use an intermediary service such as PayPal?
- Make sure the website link is a secure one. Look for https:// at the beginning of the link, rather than http:// the secret lies in that extra ?s? which signifies ?secure?.
- Check your credit card statements carefully, and inform your bank immediately of any doubtful transactions. Deactivate or suspend your credit card to prevent further fraud. Many countries have laws limiting liability in the event of fraud, but such limits may only come into use once the bank has been informed.
- Banks and credit card companies will NEVER ask you to respond directly to an email communication, or through a link sent to you by email.
Tips
- Ask your bank whether they have special credit card for use online. Some of these ?online use only? cards work by verifying the recipient. Some send a text message to you on your mobile phone requesting confirmation, and others use a prepayment system rather than credit system. You cannot lose more than you prepay.
- Clear your Internet browser's cache and cookies, and close out completely after every transaction before continuing to view other sites on the Internet.
Warnings
- Be weary of suspected fraud sites.
- Do not follow a link in an email that you did not sign up for. In some cases, websites can steal your credit card information from your browser's cache.
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