Online credit card safety

Following these guidelines will help protect you from fraud when you shop online

Tip 1
Use only one credit card online to make it easier to identify fraudulent charges.

Tip 2
Use only a credit or charge card — never a bank debit card — for online purchases. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, consumers are liable for a maximum of $50 if a credit card is used fraudulently and have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating them. Debit cards don't offer such protection — using one online puts your entire checking or savings account at risk.

Tip 3
Be sure to print a copy of your purchase order and confirmation number for your records.

Tip 4
Check your bills carefully each month and cancel the card immediately if you find any bogus charges.

Tip 5
Assume that any credit card you use online can be stolen. It might not, but that way you’ll have account numbers handy to simplify and hasten the process of canceling the card.

Tip 6
Use caution when using smaller online retail sites, which tend to use off-the-shelf e-commerce software and have fewer resources to devote to security.

Tip 7
Send e-mail to a retail site asking whether users' credit card information is stored by the company. You can ask the company to remove your data from its database. Or, if you like the convenience offered by Web sites that keep your card numbers on file, ask if the site encrypts your personal information before it's stored. If the answer is "no," you should shop elsewhere.

Tip 8
Don’t provide credit card information in response to a solicitation.

Tip 9
Regularly check your credit history through a credit-reporting company.