Safety Tips For Online Payments
Online payments have become the norm of the digital era of clicks and scrolls. However, as the world has shifted to this convenient mode of transferring money, the risks of hacks and cyber thefts have risen dramatically. Here are some of the tips that'll keep you safe.
Tips For Safe Online Payment
1. Use advanced anti-malware program
It will protect both classified and unclassified attacks on your computer and other digital devices you are using. Make sure your anti-malware program is updated or its auto update option is “on”. Make sure that the antivirus program is able to detect newly created and mutated malware threats even before it's included in the database of the automatic updates.
2. Avoid saving card details
Although this seems basic, it is crucial to ensure that your debit/credit card details are not saved when you make purchases online. Many of us tend to save the details to avoid entering all the details from scratch in the future and enable quicker payments. However, it is best to erase your card information after completing your online purchase to ensure it isn't prone to the risk of being stolen.
2. Watch out for security vulnerabilities in your PC
Some of the malware programs are designed to manipulate the security vulnerabilities in the OS and web browsers and steal your financial data. You can run System Mechanic security optimizer, which will detect and fix such vulnerabilities in both the web browser and the operating system. Always keep your web browser and operating system up to date.
3. Make sure you are using a secure connection
When you are using a secured connection the URL begins with https://, but in all other cases it begins with http://. So make sure you are using https.
4. Deal with reputed websites only
Do not directly pay to any website unless you know about it. The advanced security features used in payment processor such as PayTabs will prevent your financial information from getting into wrong hands.
5. Use credit cards for online shopping
There is a word of caution for all online shoppers: Make sure you perform online shopping using a credit card and not a debit card. What makes using debit card extremely risky is the fact that it is linked to your bank account.
With spending limit, credit cards cannot be misused to the extent a debit card can be. It is pretty easy to dispute fraudulent charges on a credit card as compared to recovering the money taken out from a debit card.
6. Do not use public computers
In order to maintain security during online transactions, make sure that you're using your own computer or mobile device. Do not use the computers installed at public libraries or internet cafes, as these computers can easily be manipulated by tweaking its hardware or software.
7. Set a strong and complex password
Don't use common passwords or the password that can easily be guessed. Use a combination of alphanumeric and special characters and make sure the password length is more than 6 digits.
8. Use Virtual keyboard rather than your physical keyboard: If your machine is malware infected there are chances of your keyboard being compromised? In such cases malware programs like ‘spy ware' which detect the keys as you type on the keyboard and can hack your password.
A multi-media journalist and writer, Vaibhavi views the world as one big piece of poetry. Time and again she tries to capture this poetry through words, as well as, the lens. She loves to explore the depth of human psyche, philosophy, cultures, and oceans! Carrying forward this quest for exploration she reports on various beats ranging from tourism, culture, art, social issues, business, market trends, science and environment to technology. For her, the life mantra can be summarised with the catchphrases, “Hakuna Matata” and “Carpe Diem”.
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