How to Safely Make Purchases Over the Internet?

Strike_Team

I've been avoiding using my credit/debit card over the internet for security reasons, however with some products available only online I think it's becoming inevitable that I'll need to carry out some transactions over the web. Question is, how to be as secure as possible?

My thoughts are:

PC running Windows XP SP 2 with all current patches applied.
Up-to-date firewall - e.g. Zone Alarm.
Up-to-date virus checker - e.g. Avast, and regular virus sweeps.
Up-to-date antispyware - e.g. Spybot, Adaware and Windows Defender, with regular spyware sweeps.
Taking care over the site I purchase from.
Using a special account for internet transactions with a modest amount of money in it, to minimise loss in case of fraud.

Anything else I can do to minimise the risk of fraud?

espresso

You are probably worrying too much about this as long as you use secure sites. I think that you are more likely to be ripped off at a petrol station, restaurant or shop if the card leaves your sight.

superscaper

I think one can be too paranoid, I've been purchasing with credit cards online for about nine years now and have yet to have a fraud problem (fingers crossed). I think you have it all covered and you'd have to be extremely unlucky for anything untoward happen. Only advice I could give is make sure you only buy from reputable companies and don't be blinded by supposed bargains from sites noone has heard of.

Dennis99

Touch wood and whistle, never had a problem in 10 years of online transactions purchasing both personal items and items for my business. In fact I bought a laser printer just this afternoon.

stevemcol

Always look for https: in the address line and make sure the web address is where you expect to be.
No less secure than handing your card over in a retaurant or garage in my opinion. Cresit cards also come with a degree of fraud protection.

Moneymaker

I've been buying stuff on-line since 1995 and never had a problem. Mind you, I use an Apple Mac. My son used a PC and almost immediately had some **** in America debiting his current account for hundreds of pounds.

Anyway, for ultimate security I suggest these precautions:

Use a credit card, not a debit card.
Use an Apple Mac not a Windows PC.
Don't buy from companies if you are unsure about them.
Beware eBay and similar.
Buy from Amazon.

That's my advice. Take it or leave it!

sockospice

I've been buying on line for years, and have only ever had one problem, which the credit card company dealt with quickly.

Aside from all the security things you can do, I have one credit card that I only use for internet purchases. It makes it a lot simpler for managing and recognising transactions.

BillScarab

Definately use a Credit Card and not a Debit Card. You could if you wanted have one with a low limit, just for internet purchases but I don't bother.

Keep the security software on your PC up to date and use it.

Only buy from reputable sites, if you're not sure if a site is reputable ask on here.

Personally I've been buying things online for about 10 years and haven't had a problem, just a few minutes ago I booked a holiday online. I've bought stuff off ebay from America, I've bought things from sites in Honk Kong and they've all been fine.

People are happy to let their Credit/Debit cards be taken behind the counter in restaurants etc, where they could be cloned. People are happy to sit in office full of people and read out their credit card number over the phone. I don't think the Internet is really any worse.

The only problem with card fraud I've ever had is when someone was stealing credit card cheques from the credit card company.

John_Gray

In addition to the suggestions above, you might like to consider getting a Cahoot credit card, which has an excellent feature whereby you generate a unique credit card number for each transaction, which can be used only the once. You give the seller this single-use credit card number, and Cahoot links the transaction back to your real credit card number, which is never exposed to the seller. Brilliant! (I believe you young chaps say "Awesome"!).

John

I'm_With_Stupid

You could use paypal. I'm not sure how many general websites accept it as payment though. Otherwise, like everyone else said, use a credit card because it offers extra protection, and make sure the website is a secure site. With some websites on my card, you are also linked to a VISA verification website for a bit of extra security. And when you sign up to use a website, avoid getting it to remember your card details along with your account (only some websites allow with feature anyway).

Finally, for general internet security, use something other than Internet Explorer for browsing. I use Firefox, and Opera is supposed to be good too (they're free to download, just Google them). A good feature of Firefox (which may be on IE now, I haven't used it in a while) is that it will warn you whenever a website tries to set a cookie, and you have the option to allow it or block it. That means that you can accept the cookie that lets you use their website properly, but reject the other four cookies from their sponsors, along with any malicious ones that might try and creep onto your system.

guerillasaver

Dennis99 wrote:

Touch wood and whistle, never had a problem in 10 years of online transactions purchasing both personal items and items for my business. In fact I bought a laser printer just this afternoon.

A bit off topic but can you tell me where you bought from please, really keen to buy one for my dad. Cheers :beer: