Credit cards are simple, convenient and require only a PIN or your signature to confirm payment.
However, in some cases, this convenience may mean a security breach, according to several experts surveyed by Reader's Digest. So, there are certain situations when you should think about using your card. We will now analyze them in detail.
On an insecure website (HTTP instead of HTTPS)
“HTTPS is a protocol for secure communications over a computer network that is widely used on the Internet,” said Robert Mackey, a lawyer and certified international privacy practitioner.
The “S” at the end of “https” means “secure”, that is, the information that you provide to the website is protected by encryption. If a website requires payment and reads “http” instead of “https,” the website is not secure. Using a third-party payment service such as PayPal, which provides secure and fast payments, is a safer option than entering your credit card numbers on an unsecured website.
“The main motivation for HTTPS is to authenticate the visited website and protect the privacy and integrity of exchanged data,” said Mackey.
By phone
Receiving a phone call from your bank regarding your credit information is rather suspicious in itself, and if your phone does not recognize the number, it would be safer to talk in person. This is a particularly dangerous situation, as it can happen to any person living anywhere in the world.
A resident of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, by the name of Jill, was recently tricked by almost 3,000 Canadian dollars (2,258 US dollars) through a series of phone calls, according to YorkRegion.
A scammer pretended to be the representative of Scotiabank, which Jill used, and began asking questions about her recent purchases. Then the scammer convinced Jill to read the numbers of each credit card she owned, and this is the only information everyone needs to make purchases on the Internet.
In April this year, three suspects allegedly used between 80 and 100 phone numbers to contact their victims and steal their credit card information.
Fraudsters can also listen to your telephone conversations, even when you are talking with a real bank, using telephone tapping or other methods. While in public, anyone around you can listen to your conversation and write down the numbers of your cards when you read them.
Other situations, in addition to bank calls, may occur when you order something by phone, such as a parcel or food for delivery.
“One of the most common examples of providing card information over the phone is food delivery,” said Jeremy Brant, vice president of information technology at Florida Capital Bank mortgage company.
When ordering food delivery, there are many available applications with built-in payment systems that do not require communicating with a stranger by phone.
“In such situations or in other cases, when the seller requests information about the card by phone, order the service online or pay in cash in person,” Brant advised.
Reply to Email
Despite the dangers of providing your credit card information by phone or in text, it may be even more dangerous to store your credit card information in an email, said Stephen Lesavić, lawyer, credit card expert and best-selling author.
“There is a technique called phishing, and it includes emails designed to extract credit card numbers for unauthorized purchases,” Lesavich warned.
Lesavich explained that hidden links, spelling errors, strange use of the English language and logos that somehow look incomprehensible may be signs that the email is not genuine and the recipient should avoid clicking on any links contained in it.
When there are no reviews (on the sites of online stores)
From Tokopedia to Bukalapak, many people sell almost everything. Banks are increasingly taking into account Indonesia’s growing internet economy, which uses platforms that make online payments more frequent.
However, if sellers do not have reviews, it is difficult to judge whether they are legal, because fraudsters can impersonate legitimate companies, like scammers who claim to represent someone else's bank.
If you don’t have reviews about the seller or the company from which you want to buy something, it may be safer not to provide information about your credit card.
When you can't afford it
You yourself are responsible for how much money is spent on your credit card.
Use your credit card for the convenience it provides and for any rewards you may receive, but only take what you know you can pay in full at the end of the month.
When you can’t see your card
When paying at a restaurant or store, if a merchant, seller or cashier needs to bring your card out of sight at any time, it may be safer to accompany them or pay in cash. This is especially dangerous when you travel, because you are in a strange environment.
“This is becoming more common in Europe, where restaurants bring devices to the table for receiving payments,” said Alex Kramer, sales manager for Final First cards on mobile devices.
In public places or using insecure Wi-Fi and computers
“Remove Wi-Fi networks from your devices that do not belong to you and make sure your Wi-Fi connection is protected by a unique private password,” said Emmanuel Chalit, CEO of Dashlane Password Manager.
“There may be devices or software on a public computer to record all your keystrokes, also known as keyloggers,” warned Mackey.
Passwords, personal data, and credit card information can be read by anyone who can connect to your device via Wi-Fi. It is even easier for fraudsters and hackers to get your confidential information through public Wi-Fi or any Internet connection that is not password protected. If a network does not have a password to connect to it, it may be safer not to use it at all.
