When Not To Use Your Credit Card for Payment

When a website address does not begin with HTTPS: If you don't see these five letters in the address bar of the website you are trying to make a payment on, it means the site is not secure. "HTTPS is a protocol for secure communication over a computer network which is widely used on the Internet," explains Robert McKee, lawyer and international privacy professional. When the URL begins with HTTPS, the site is secure, and you are safe to use a credit card. If the site does not include an ‘s’ in this beginning part of the URL, opt out of the online purchase, and try using a third-party payment system like PayPal instead. These sites act as another barrier between an organization and your credit information.

When responding to an email: It is actually better to provide your credit card to someone over the phone or even via text message than it is to respond with your credit card number in an email. "There is a technique called 'phishing' or 'spear phishing', and it involves emails that are designed to extract your credit card number for an unauthorized purchase,” warns Stephen Lesavich,  attorney and credit card expert. Before clicking on any link, look for phishing clues like spelling mistakes, strange use of English, and logos that look off. Another technique is to hover over a link while not clicking on it and see if you can recognize the URL. Look for the same site outside your email and compare them. If there is anything suspicious, do not make the purchase or make it from another site.

When speaking over the phone: Try to avoid giving your credit card information over the phone for the simple reason that you don't know where it will go once you hang up. You also don't know who's listening in on the call—whether it's people around you, someone else on the line or even the person on the other end of the phone who's taking down your digits. "One of the most common examples of card information being given over the phone is through delivery food purchases," says Jeremy Brant, VP of Information Technology for Florida Capital Bank. "In situations like these, or other instances where a vendor is asking for card information over the phone, order the service online or pay cash in person."

When an online merchant has no reviews: When you are considering buying from a merchant on any type of virtual marketplace, like eBay, look them up online. If you Google them and there's only one listing for the merchant, with no online reviews, no past experiences from other customers and no social media accounts, you should think twice about handing over your card. This is true for online merchants, of course, but real-world merchants as well. "The Internet has given consumers a much more effective way to gauge the reputation of the companies we do business with, so use it," suggests Adam Jusko, founder and CEO of creditcardcatalog.com, a card comparison and news site. Along these same lines, look for contact information on the websites you buy from, including address and phone number if you're unfamiliar with the merchant. "Cross reference the address and phone numbers by looking them up in a search engine to see if they match the merchant."

When a merchant needs to take your card out of view: This scenario is common when paying your tab at a restaurant or bar. Especially if you're not travelling overseas, chances are that it's fine, but allowing any merchant the chance to take your card out of view provides the potential for writing down or taking pictures of the card for use later. "A high-risk destination example is Brazil. During the 2016 Olympics, multiple people had their CCs cloned while at restaurants," says Mark Deane, CEO of ETS Risk Management. The best practice is to never to let your card out of your sight and don't be afraid to ask merchants to bring payment options to you. "This is becoming more and more common in Europe, where restaurants bring devices to the table to accept payment,” says Alex Cramer, head of Cards at Final, a mobile-first credit card startup.

If you see bulky plastic, exposed wires on swiping devices: Point-of-sale devices that have been tampered with (including setup of ‘skimmers’ to steal payment card data) can be hard to spot, but they are something to be aware of and avoid. If you see bulky plastic, exposed wires, or other things that look "off" about the device you're about to use, consider alerting employees or law enforcement. "More and more, consumers should be looking to 'dip' instead of 'swipe,'" says Cramer. "The former reads static data from the mag stripe off the back of the card; the latter reads dynamic data from the chip on the front of the card, adding an additional level of payment security."

When purchasing online over public Wi-Fi: Inputting any personal information into a website can pose risks if the Internet connection is not secure and this includes public Internet, or any Internet without password protection. The consequences are that any sensitive personal information, such as passwords, personal data, and credit card information, can be read by anyone trying to break through the network. It is best to wait until you are over a secure connection before inputting any sensitive information, like passwords or credit card numbers. "Delete Wi-Fi networks from your devices that aren't yours, and make sure to secure your Wi-Fi connection with a unique, private password," suggests Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of the password manager Dashlane. "Also, don't use Wi-Fi connections that aren't known to be secure (for example, your coffee shop Wi-Fi, free Wi-Fi at the airport) unless doing so over a secure VPN."

When purchasing something on a public computer: When surfing the web on a public computer or another person's computer you don't know or trust, keep your credit card under lock and key. "A public computer may have devices or software to record all of your keystrokes, also known as keyloggers," McKee explains. "The computers also might contain malware with other tools for stealing your information." As you can't verify the security of a public computer, you shouldn't use your credit card on a website you accessed from that computer.

When you're making a purchase you can't afford: This sounds like a no-brainer, but the mounds of debt many people hold on their credit cards prove that it's not. "Use your credit card for the convenience it provides and any rewards you might receive, but only charge what you know you can completely pay back at the end of the month," suggests Jusko.n

Source: www.rd.com

When Not To Use Your Credit Card for Payment

When a website address does not begin with HTTPS: If you dont see these five letters in the address bar of the website you are trying to make a payment on, it means the site is not secure. HTTPS is a protocol for secure communication over a computer network which is widely used on the Internet, explains Robert McKee, lawyer and international privacy professional. When the URL begins with HTTPS, the site is secure, and you are safe to use a credit card. If the site does not include an s in this beginning part of the URL, opt out of the online purchase, and try using a third-party payment system like PayPal instead. These sites act as another barrier between an organization and your credit information. When responding to an email: It is actually better to provide your credit card to someone over the phone or even via text message than it is to respond with your credit card number in an email. There is a technique called phishing or spear phishing, and it involves emails that are designed to extract your credit card number for an unauthorized purchase, warns Stephen Lesavich, attorney and credit card expert. Before clicking on any link, look for phishing clues like spelling mistakes, strange use of English, and logos that look off. Another technique is to hover over a link while not clicking on it and see if you can recognize the URL. Look for the same site outside your email and compare them. If there is anything suspicious, do not make the purchase or make it from another site. When speaking over the phone: Try to avoid giving your credit card information over the phone for the simple reason that you dont know where it will go once you hang up. You also dont know whos listening in on the callwhether its people around you, someone else on the line or even the person on the other end of the phone whos taking down your digits. One of the most common examples of card information being given over the phone is through delivery food purchases, says Jeremy Brant, VP of Information Technology for Florida Capital Bank. In situations like these, or other instances where a vendor is asking for card information over the phone, order the service online or pay cash in person. When an online merchant has no reviews: When you are considering buying from a merchant on any type of virtual marketplace, like eBay, look them up online. If you Google them and theres only one listing for the merchant, with no online reviews, no past experiences from other customers and no social media accounts, you should think twice about handing over your card. This is true for online merchants, of course, but real-world merchants as well. The Internet has given consumers a much more effective way to gauge the reputation of the companies we do business with, so use it, suggests Adam Jusko, founder and CEO of creditcardcatalog.com, a card comparison and news site. Along these same lines, look for contact information on the websites you buy from, including address and phone number if youre unfamiliar with the merchant. Cross reference the address and phone numbers by looking them up in a search engine to see if they match the merchant. When a merchant needs to take your card out of view: This scenario is common when paying your tab at a restaurant or bar. Especially if youre not travelling overseas, chances are that its fine, but allowing any merchant the chance to take your card out of view provides the potential for writing down or taking pictures of the card for use later. A high-risk destination example is Brazil. During the 2016 Olympics, multiple people had their CCs cloned while at restaurants, says Mark Deane, CEO of ETS Risk Management. The best practice is to never to let your card out of your sight and dont be afraid to ask merchants to bring payment options to you. This is becoming more and more common in Europe, where restaurants bring devices to the table to accept payment, says Alex Cramer, head of Cards at Final, a mobile-first credit card startup. If you see bulky plastic, exposed wires on swiping devices: Point-of-sale devices that have been tampered with (including setup of skimmers to steal payment card data) can be hard to spot, but they are something to be aware of and avoid. If you see bulky plastic, exposed wires, or other things that look off about the device youre about to use, consider alerting employees or law enforcement. More and more, consumers should be looking to dip instead of swipe, says Cramer. The former reads static data from the mag stripe off the back of the card; the latter reads dynamic data from the chip on the front of the card, adding an additional level of payment security. When purchasing online over public Wi-Fi: Inputting any personal information into a website can pose risks if the Internet connection is not secure and this includes public Internet, or any Internet without password protection. The consequences are that any sensitive personal information, such as passwords, personal data, and credit card information, can be read by anyone trying to break through the network. It is best to wait until you are over a secure connection before inputting any sensitive information, like passwords or credit card numbers. Delete Wi-Fi networks from your devices that arent yours, and make sure to secure your Wi-Fi connection with a unique, private password, suggests Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of the password manager Dashlane. Also, dont use Wi-Fi connections that arent known to be secure (for example, your coffee shop Wi-Fi, free Wi-Fi at the airport) unless doing so over a secure VPN. When purchasing something on a public computer: When surfing the web on a public computer or another persons computer you dont know or trust, keep your credit card under lock and key. A public computer may have devices or software to record all of your keystrokes, also known as keyloggers, McKee explains. The computers also might contain malware with other tools for stealing your information. As you cant verify the security of a public computer, you shouldnt use your credit card on a website you accessed from that computer. When youre making a purchase you cant afford: This sounds like a no-brainer, but the mounds of debt many people hold on their credit cards prove that its not. Use your credit card for the convenience it provides and any rewards you might receive, but only charge what you know you can completely pay back at the end of the month, suggests Jusko.n Source: www.rd.com