What are some ways of securing
your payment card information online?

• There are several measures you can take to reduce the risk of having your real payment card information compromised when spending online.
• The first is to be aware and ensure that the website you are visiting is properly secured. The most obvious sign is to make sure that the site is using an SSL certificate. You can check this by seeing if the URL starts with “https”, the s stands for secure. If the url address begins only with “http”, it’s likely not being secured with an SSL certificate.
• The second is to ensure that the domain is legitimate and actually the site you intend to shop at. In this case, the SSL certificate won’t do any good, because it’s securing the connection between your computer and a fraudulent merchant. Before you input your sensitive information into a site, check to make sure the URL is actually the brand you know and trust.
• Third, you should keep an eye out for deals that seem too good to be true. These may be fly by night shops set up to collect your personal information or sellers of replica or fake luxury goods. Always check the reputation of the sites you frequent. For larger purchases, it can be helpful to perform a quick online search for the merchant’s reputation.
• Lastly, virtual card numbers provided by companies like getvirtualcard.co.uk can be an effective way to secure your online payments. Virtual cards allow you to use a different card for every merchant you spend at. Spending limits and merchant locking help prevent more damage in the event of a data or security breach.
• Virtual card numbers are just one tool of many to secure your online spending. They can help contain the damage from data breaches with limits and controls on secured cards to prevent them from being overcharged.