How not to use your credit card online

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Entering your credit card details when shopping online is always a risk and it's easy to become complacent.

"We're becoming more and more trusting of the internet and its security measures, and while websites work hard to ensure customers' accounts remain safe, nothing is foolproof," says Bessie Hassan, money expert at finder.com.au.

Almost 75% of those who shop online automatically save their credit and debit card details when they make a purchase, according to a survey of 2026 people by comparison site finder.com.au.

how to stay safe online shopping credit card

Sure, it might be hard to remember your credit card details each time you want to shop online but there are other payment options that don't require this.

Paypal is probably the most popular one but MasterCard Masterpass and Visa Checkout are similar services which allow you to pay without entering your card details.

You just need to activate the service first and you can use it where you see the relevant logo at the checkout.

Hassan says you can also stay safe by taking simple measures such as regularly reviewing your bank accounts and credit card statements, reviewing the merchant's privacy policy and looking out for the padlock icon at the top of the URL address bar.

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Maria Bekiaris is editorial campaigns manager for Canstar and former deputy editor of Money. She holds a Bachelor's degree in business.
Comments
su
March 22, 2017 3.49pm

I have 2 debit cards, one with a very low limit which I use for daily shopping and on line purchases. It is topped up routinely. The other one hides at home unless I need to make a large purchase. Better to be safe than sorry.

Angela
March 31, 2017 9.43am

I use PayPal, but this is not always available for all online payments. I also have a credit card with a a smaller credit limit, but it is also worth checking if your card allows you to set a limit for international spending. Any purchases above this limit will be blocked