The Safest Way To Shop And Have A Modicum Of Privacy – The Credit Card

Purchasing items on the Internet is such a convenience. You can avoid the crowds at your local mall or retail store and you can “window shop” at any time, day or night.  However, do you know what the safest way to shop is online and still maintain a bit of privacy?  If you guessed the credit card, then you would be correct!

With a credit card, you are assured a measure of privacy and safety when you use it to purchase something. If something should happen to go awry, there is this federal law called the Fair Credit Billing Act, which protects your interests.  Basically, if there are charges on your credit card that you are unsure of, you have the right to contest those charges and you can withhold payment of those charges while the credit card company investigates.  If the results of the investigation prove that your credit card was used without your authorization, you are liable for only the first fifty dollars of erroneous charges.  In many cases, you don’t even have to pay the fifty dollars.

If you plan to make online purchases throughout the year, your best bet to protect the privacy of your information as well as your financial interests is use one credit card for just online transactions. If you credit card hop, chances are that you will have a more difficult time recognizing a charge that you did not incur.  By using only one credit card for your Internet purchases, you have a greater chance of recognizing unauthorized charges.  Credit cards are also a safer way to shop online because you have your card buyer protection backing you up in case of faulty products or lost shipments.

When shopping online, you do not want to use your check or debit card because it is directly tied to your bank account.  If a hacker or identity thief were to get a hold of it, they would have free reign with your bank account and you can find yourself fielding calls from your bank about overdraft charges.  In addition, your debit and check cards are not protected in the same way by the Fair Credit Billing Act, even if they have a card logo like MasterCard or Visa on it.  With debit or check cards, your funds are tied up while the disputed charges are resolved.  So you would be out of that money versus the credit card where you don’t have to pay the charges during the investigation.

Perhaps one of the most important things you can do is contact your credit card company as soon as you are aware of any unauthorized charges or if your card has been stolen.  The quicker you let them know, the less damage thieves can do to your personal and financial privacy. In addition, one of the ways that your privacy can be ensured is to only shop at web sites which allow you to assign passwords to your credit card for any purchases you make online.  If you have a MasterCard or Visa, check with the bank that backs the card to learn more about this feature as well as participating online stores.

Virtual credit cards are also an option that protects your privacy one step further.  Basically, when you want to make a purchase online, you can use a one-time credit card number that cannot be traced back to you.  You can find out more about this option through your credit card company.

Finally, when shopping online, be sure to look for a certificate from a trusted privacy monitoring source like Verisign or TRUSTe on the merchant web site.  This means that they have clear privacy and return policies in addition to adhering to safe, secure practices with customers. You should feel secure at these certified sites when shopping with your credit card.