My Card Safety guide: For your card safety, following these cautious guide when making payment is the best option. How are my Credit/Debit Card details Safe when Making Online Payments? Is it safe to put your credit/debit card details online? How would you know if your card is safe when making online payment on a website?
This article comes with many questions we will answer. This question is important if you want to use debit card for online payment for the first time. Meaning that a major part of card safety of your online payments and its information is in your hands.
At every given time, your biodata and card information is always vulnerable, but you can ensure that you have taken enough measures to make it less vulnerable online. I will use myself as a case study while teaching you the safety methods of preventing your card details from bing hacked by cyber criminals.
Personally, I ensure the following steps below before I make an online payment on any website. Trust me, by simply following this steps below, I can beat my chest that my data are safe. now let me walk you through.
To get the full gist, please scroll down slowly read carefully so as to ensure that your card details are safe.
Avoid Phishing Websites
Over the years, many people has been scammed through phishing because they were not observant of the website they are visiting. Hackers always make little but noticeable changes to original URL. Therefore, I always verify the URL in the address bar of the browser before entering my card details for payment. Try your best to always ensure that you’re visiting only the intended site. Make sure there is no typo-error in the domain of the site.
For example be sure that a URL of “ABCD Home Page” is https://ABC.com in the domain and not https://abc.com/xyzzy). If you look closely, you will notice a URL extension meant to redirect you to another unknown page.
For you not to fall victim of Phishing and make sure you are not sharing your card information with unintended recipient. Do not click on links you are not sure of in your mail or SMS. Always double-check any URL before entering your information. Lastly do not install unknown software on your computer or phone app.
Verify the Website to have Secure (SSL)
Another important thing I do is to verify the URL is in for https (Secure SSL). Make sure that the URL you want to enter your card details is start with https. be sure that there is no warning sign or strike of symbol over the lock symbol close to the website URL.
Notice that the lock key symbol must be either green or grey. This means that the site is using secure mechanism to transfer information. It is a sign of safety and no one is sharing your payment details.
I can now be sure that my data are transferred securely and is not tampered by any one else.
Again, I usually ensure that my device browser is up to date (latest version). Personally, I do not use any unknown browsers, and do should you.
PCI DSS complainant
Before making payment online, I always ensure that the site in which I am entering my payment details is PCI-DSS CERTIFIED. this site has to display a logo of PCI-DSS certification.
What is PCI DSS? It is a payment card industry governing institutions, which governs and audits the payment gateways which process all card transactions. The audit ensures that all user data is secure and is not misused at all.
No use of public Network and Computer
When making online payments, please avoid free internet service providers. These are the strict caution I follow before making online payments.
- First, I will not use public system / computer to make my transactions. Reason is because I do not have control over the network and do not know how much vulnerability it is for attacks.
- Secondly, I will us my personal system or mobile to make payments.
- Thirdly, I will ensure that my operating system (OS) or mobile software is always up to date.
- Lastly, I install an official paid anti virus and keep it up to date.
Additionally, I also ensure that I do not visit any unwanted sites which are vulnerable for attacks form my computer or mobile device. I have a strong dislike for pop-ups that displays freebies (too good to be true). Therefore, do not click on any unknown links.
If you click on a virus/worms/Trojans infected link, hacker may get into device and steal your data including your purchasing details.
Be careful not to open any email attachments form any unintended sender or recipient. Even if the link or attachment is from an intended sender or recipient, I will verify from them first before opening it.
Don’t use Public WIFI or Internet Connection
Since I’m aware that it is easy to hack my information form public wifi, I will never do my payment transaction in public internet connection.
Am I now safe?
So, by doing all the above instructions, is my information now 100% safe? – No. But you I have definitely made sure that I took care of what I can control. There are still somethings which is not under my control; like theft of huge amount of data from the site. There can still be an unknown time a successful hacking may occur on an entire online payment site. In such cases, I don’t have control of anything. I just keep the hope alive.
You might say this is a long post, but this is what I’ll do before making online transactions. Payment gateways are unpredictable, so may be I am a bit too cautious, but being cautious never hurts a fly. Just follow these steps and you can be safe.
Card Safety: Now, once you have met the above instructions, you can make online payments securely.
How do you keep your credit and debit cards safe?
Please, you should always use a credit card and debit card with caution. Credit cards are often used for buying items and for making transactions, such as buying groceries or withdrawing cash. Debit cards are generally used for withdrawing money from banks or other financial institutions.
See the Best Ways to Prevent Fraud on Credit Card with Identity Theft Detection. Don’t loose your money.
These cards are also used to make purchases, such as with your bank account. If you are concerned about your card’s safety, always read the card issuer’s privacy policy and discuss your concerns with the credit card company. Debit and credit Card Safety is very important, therefore be always cautious. Always use my Credit Card Protection and Credit Safety Tips and thank me later.
