Using a Credit Card Online Safely

You have never before used a credit card online, and you wonder if it is safe? Credit card fraud exists outside of the online world. There are hackers who would love to steal your online credit card information, but there are built-in safeguards to protect you on reputable sites that accept credit card payments. There are additional things you can do to protect yourself.

First of all, do not use your credit card on any website that will not provide encryption for your important information, such as your account number and any password you may create.

Encryption is a system to encode your personal information in such a way that only the person with the computer and a key can decode it. Typically a safe website might say that information is encrypted using a Secure Sockets Layer, 128 bit encryption technology.

Why is encryption so important? Let us start with passwords. If a hacker could get your password, he could get all the information about your credit card account, such as what your line of credit is, how much is remaining on that line, your address, phone number, and account number. You can imagine what a dishonest person could do with such information.

Hackers use computer programs that automate the process of learning your password. Instead of typing potential passwords by hand, hackers use computer programs that use hit lists of common passwords. Even a hacker with a modest home computer with a good password guessing program can try thousands of passwords in less than a day's time. You can see why your password being encrypted would be important if you want to use your credit card online safely. There are additional things you can do to make it even harder for a hacker to learn your password, and we will get into that later in the article.

Never send such information about your credit card account number, password, Social Security number, and other important information through an e-mail. Hackers have programs to snoop through e-mails. Also, don't store your credit card information in documents on your computer, especially if your computer is used by others, or could be.