subject: The Best Options For Paying Safely Online [print this page] Many consumers are still very sceptical about buying items online in case their account details are stolen. Unfortunately, this can happen if you enter card details on an unsecured website. However, banks and other institutions have come up with ways to make shopping online much safer, these include:
Prepaid cards
Transferring money to a prepaid card when shopping online is a sure fire way to protect your money. A prepaid card works the same as a credit card or debit card online. However, instead of being linked directly to your account, you transfer a certain amount of money onto the card to spend. This means that if you do inadvertently use an unsecured website the only amount they can take is the balance that you have prepaid onto the card. Crucially, your personal details are not connected with the card, so you cannot be scammed further down the line by any conman.
Paying by credit card
Credit cards offer some of the best protection for consumers buying products online. Under the Consumer Credit Act, your credit card company are responsible for the quality of the goods purchased. If the goods are faulty, not as described or fail to arrive then the credit card company refunds you. Furthermore, if the business you buy from goes bust then the credit card company are still liable. This may not the case for any switch card or debit card. Despite this added protection, always remember to check your bill and ensure that the itemised price is as advertised.
Using PayPal
If you are wary of sharing your card details directly with any website then you should consider paying in confidence through PayPal. When you sign up with PayPal they will hold your money in an online account ready to pay for any of your purchases. The online account can also be linked to your debit card account and will only debit the money from that account at the point of purchase. During the payment process, select the PayPal logo in the checkout. At payment, you will be required to provide your email username and password attached to the PayPal account to complete the payment.
Protect your debit card
If you still favour using a debit card then there are ways to add protection. Nearly all banks now offer a password-protected identity-checking service that is required every time you attempt to pay for something online.
by: Christina Jones
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