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Online Shopping UK - Credit Card Security
Shopping on the Internet is no less safe than shopping in your
local store. Follow these tips to ensure your online shopping
experience is a happy one.
1. Will My Credit Card Details be Stolen?
If you shop at sites that offer secure payment procedures, the
possibility of anyone getting your credit card details is small.
The main way that card details are stolen is from discarded
credit card slips - picked up from rubbish bins or supermarkets.
However, if someone does steal your credit card details, the
distance selling regulations give you the right to a refund from
your card issuer for all money lost through fraudulent use.
2. How Do You Know a Site that Offers Secure Payment?
Look for the locked padlock sign at the bottom of your screen
and an address starting with 'https'("s" for secure)instead of
just "http" when you are asked to enter payment details.
This means you are in a secure part of the site and all
information sent is scrambled by encryption software so that the
details are impossible to find out by hackers. Do not give
credit card details to a company that you have not checked.
3. Will Using my Credit Card Give Extra Protection?
If you spend between £100 and £30,000, a credit card such as
Visa or Mastercard will give you extra protection under the
Consumer Credit Act. The card issuer is jointly liable with the
retailer for faulty goods bought in the UK and some issuers may
accept liability for transactions involving foreign goods.
Debit cards such Visa Delta or Switch or Maestro usually do not
give as much protection. So only use these cards for buying
cheaper products.
4. Keep a Record of Your Purchases
Print out a copy of your order and confirmation number of your
purchase for your own records. Reputable merchants will usually
send an email confirmation of your order. However, a printed
copy is useful to have in case your order is lost or deleted or
not delivered.
(C) John Lynch
About the author:
(To shop online and earn discounts every time you buy from 1,000
+ top UK retail stores go to:
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