Credit Cards Online

If you think there may be a problem with your credit card, bank account, PayPal account or eBay account, go directly to the website in question (do NOT use the link in the email). If there is a problem, the website will tell you. The phishing email probably will not address you by name, will contain spelling or grammar errors, or other clues that something is amiss.

These phishing scams may make you fearful of using a credit card online. A few precautions will protect you. Make sure that you are making a purchase from a legitimate site. The page where you enter your credit card needs to be secure. The URL should start with "https" instead of "http". Look for the icon of a padlock at the top or bottom bar of your browser (it varies according to which browser you use). The padlock should be in the locked position. If you click on the padlock, you can find out who owns the security certificate.

Sometimes you will be on a secure page and a little box will pop up asking if you want to display non-secure items. I always click on "okay". In most cases, the non-secure items are images that the webmaster has not linked with the proper URL. There is no harm in displaying them.

Security certificates are issued by authorities such as Verisign and Thawte. The website owner must present sufficient documentation to prove that they own the website, and this documentation must be re-submitted periodically. The security certificate encrypts your sensitive data, to protect it from being stolen. You are much more likely to have your credit card numbers stolen in a restaurant than online. To be safe, check your credit card accounts online periodically. If you see an unauthorized charge, notify the credit card company immediately.

Do not send your credit card information in an email. That is not secure. The email could possibly be intercepted. If the site does not have a secure page, ask for a phone number and provide your credit card number over the phone. Ask if you can send payment through PayPal. The vendor will never see your credit card information (only PayPal knows). Or ask if you can mail a check. Most website owners are happy to accommodate.

Next issue: when you write

from Mary Jane Allen of Perfect Little Stitches

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