Online Shopping With Virtual Credit Cards
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been hesitant every time I went to use my credit card number online. There have been many times that I wouldn’t buy something I wanted, just because I wasn’t sure if the site was safe or not. Years ago, I heard about virtual cards but didn’t know how they worked and I never got around to trying it. Now I’m using virtual credit cards and I don’t worry about anyone taking my credit card information. I feel much better making online purchases and I wish I’d done this years ago.
A virtual credit card can only be made from financial institutions who use ShopSafe. The ones I found who use it are Bank of America, MBNA, Citibank, and Discover. They are sometimes called “single use numbers”, “substitutes” or “controlled payment numers”. You can also have one made thru PayPal, but I’ve never done it with them, I’m sure it works pretty much the same way.
I just log into my bank or credit card company, go to the ShopSafe link, plug in my own expiration date and spending limit, and make my purchase online. It keeps your real numbers and information safe from hackers and fraudulent sellers by giving you a new temporary 16 digit card. No one can find your real numbers when you use these online cards. If anyone hacks into the company you bought from, the hackers cannot use your numbers. If they try to make a transaction the bank will reject it.
With credit card theft you only pay the first $50. so that is no biggie but it is a hassle. The worst thing is that if a hacker finds your real credit card numbers and matches it to some of your other information (which is easy for them to do), it can easily turn into indentity theft and that can take years to straighten out… if ever. So if you worry about using your credit card for online purchases, you really should try using a virtual credit card.
An added bonus is that I tend to buy less things because I know I have to go and get a virtual card. That keeps me from making “impulse buys” so for me, it’s a money saver.
Comments
Is the virtual card good only for a certain number of purchases or does it have a time limit or anything?
How do I make money online with this?!?!?!?!
I don’t know about you Terry, but as far as I am concerned the first step to making money would be to make sure I do not loose money. This is true whether I use my card for a purchase or to try to make money, for example through e-Bay. I have been held back, in the past, because I did not dare give my credit card info. Thanks for the info, JJ.
Hey Stak, you put your expiration date on it. Love your post on your site.
Hey Terry, go to http://www.johnchow.com and he’ll tell you how to take out the garbage in Taipei!
Hi MeMe, Could not have said it better, thanks!
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Virtual credit card is a fine idea although,since i have to travel alot and i get my booking done mostly online
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Hi
I think mostly credit cards holder are used this way for shopping and they felt comfort to this way.