The biggest area of concern for most credit card users these days is using their card over the internet. This is because of the many scare stories which you may hear about how people have become the victims of card crime over the internet. So-called 'phishing' scams, where crooks take credit card details when you enter them into what you believe to be a genuine website, have become particularly prevalent, but there are ways to reduce the threat of falling prey to such scams.
It is always important when online to check a website's security. This can be done by checking that the security icon is always showing when entering credit card details into a website. This icon can be found on the bottom right-hand side of the webpage and will take the form of either an unbroken key or locked padlock.
Another important thing to look out for is the webpage's address, as this can provide an indication as to whether the website is a scam or not. The first thing to check is that the website address corresponds to the website you expect to be purchasing from – even if the main screen looks identical it may be a scammer at a different address who has managed to reroute you. Further, the beginning of the retailer's address will always change from http to https when you are making a purchase using a secure connection. If this does not change then it may be worth checking with the company as soon as possible and keeping a close eye on your credit card for the following days and weeks.
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