Nowadays, you have so many options when it comes to credit cards, you can buy whatever and wherever with them – and the same goes with online spaces, there are no limitations. But with that being said, it’s not the best idea to freely use your credit card everywhere, due to multiple reasons. By using your credit card, you are giving away sensitive information, so it’s only natural that you want to keep those to yourself! It’s always best to be safe than sorry, so here are 6 things to look out for when using your credit card online!
1. Shop at credible websites
With the given technology and the current situation, online shopping is brought to a whole another level. It was popular beforehand, but now everyone is doing it whether they like it or not. With that in mind, it’s only natural that credit card frauds and theft online are on the uprise as well! A lot of beginners make the mistake of shopping on all sorts and kinds of websites, that might seem regular but are kind of risky. To avoid risk at all costs, try to buy from already established and well-known websites instead! You’ll know exactly what you’ll get when it comes to the quality of items, whilst keeping your sensitive information safe and sound!
2. Use your own wi-fi
When you plan on buying something online, it’s best to do it from a personal device while using your own wi-fi, sometimes you can accidentally leave your account logged in, making it accessible to other people who use that device after you. It’s best you avoid shopping online in public places while using the public internet. This way you can avoid the possible risk of someone stealing your credit card information or using your account to make purchases with your money!
3. Use extra security
You can be careful as much as possible, but there is still a slim chance you can overlook something or end up on a bad website, so to eliminate any possibility of danger, your best bet would be adding a layer of security on top of being careful. Something like a Software Security Framework by SecureTrust is made to prevent cyber attacks and give you the opportunity to safely shop around in online spaces. This is just an added security layer that will keep your personal information safe.
4. Inspect the website
Basically, anyone can make a website, this means that they can easily make a faulty one and scam you through it! That’s why you need to inspect it a bit further before you dive into the shopping. The easiest way to do this is to check out the HTTPS, more specifically if the desired website uses the HTTPS, the letter S stands for security. So the hypertext transfer protocol runs smoothly and safely, and no one can virtually see your credit card information and use it to their advantage! And on top of that use your chromes built-in safety checker just to make sure!
5. Have a strong password
This might be too straightforward, but you’d be surprised with how many people simply overlook the importance of having a strong password. Some may even think this is a conspiracy theory, but having a strong password is actually pretty useful in keeping your account and information safe, especially when dealing with money! So making your password as strong as possible is the first step in making your account safe, even if it’s just for the purpose of buying something once – it will still be handy as another security layer. You can never be safe enough when it comes to cyberattacks, so it’s up to you to do everything in your power!
6. Update software regularly
There is a reason why new patches and updates are being made to the software, as technology in both positive and negative ways, cyber-attacks are more and more common, but the security systems are getting stronger and stronger as well. With that being said, it’s extremely important to always be up to date when it comes to patches and new updates to your antivirus software and chrome extensions, just to make sure you are getting the newest editions of everything!
At the end of the day, you are dealing with real-life money and important information you don’t want falling into strangers’ hands, so in order to avoid that you need to be careful in online spaces. Try to see red flags and don’t overlook them, and on top of that get an added layer of security just to make sure! You can’t go wrong with being extra careful, as it will surely save you money in the long run!