Jimmy Roos asked:


Ask any credit card owner what they fear the most and they’re likely to tell you they fear falling prey to a credit card scam.

Although credit scams have been around for as long as we can remember it is especially now with the advent of the internet that they have become a real headache.

The particular danger with online scams is that it may take a while before you notice it; and by that time your credit card may have been totally maxed out, leaving you in a deep dark hole.

Of course, you can proof that you were not responsible for such debts especially if they happened in a far off place where you could not have been.

However such an experience can shake you up so much, that it puts you off buying online for good.

Now one of the most common ways to get sucked into an online scam is through email. The e-mails are so professionally done that people get fooled easily.

These type of scams are called “phishing” and how it works is this. You’ll receive an email which purports to come from your credit card company, while in reality it is not.

The email message will link to a website prepared by the scammers. When arriving at the website you’ll be prompted to enter your credit card details.

The moment you do this you’ll have revealed your credit card details to the scammers who can then go on a shopping spree with your credit card until it’s maxed out.

Hence the best advice I can give anyone is this. Never click on a link in an email from someone you don’t trust, even if it threatens to suspend or close your account. This by the way, is a well-known tactic used by scammers to prompt you into taking the desired action, which is to click on their email link.

One thing to remember is that a real and legitimate business will never ask for your personal details in an email. The best thing to do if you’re at all suspicious about an email you received is to give your credit card company a call. They will quickly be able to tell you if this email is legitimate or not. They will probably give you an email address, so that you can forward the suspicious email to them.



ARTHUR

Peter Finch asked:


The advent of the internet has brought about big and important changes in the lives of men and has made a great impact on how businesses are being run worldwide. The accessibility of the internet and online credit card gave birth to the existence of e-shops or virtual shops, ecommerce and electronic transactions, making everything easy and convenient for both the customers and the merchants.

Credit cards became widely used as the passport to conduct transactions and buy goods or services through the internet. Whatever you want to buy, everything is at your fingertips. Just a few clicks on your mouse and you can close deals or finish transactions.

These days, you can shop for practically almost everything without leaving your house. All it takes is just a few minutes shopping, ordering and paying online is a breeze. Gone are the days when you have to brave whatever the weather is, squeeze in the traffic jam and fall in line at checkout counters just to make your purchases.

Every day, as more and more people resort to using online credit card, more e-shops are mushrooming everywhere. Almost all stores and merchant outlets are accepting payments online. This is enough proof that the credit card business is booming and any store which does not offer this mode of payment faces the risk to lose potential customers.

Online merchants only need to verify and approve your plastic card and then the goods you ordered are delivered right at your doorstep, without extra charges. Just think how much time and effort you saved because they are the same goods you would have bought at the merchant outlets personally.

This is indeed convenience at your fingertips. What else could beat getting all the advantages and discounts without leaving your homes? The online credit card payment facility has also made it possible for you to start home-based businesses. Now you are free from the hassles of going to the office every day, free from the early morning rush or from the cranky bosses. Transactions are made online. You need not wrack your head worrying what to wear. You can work even if you are wearing hair curlers and house slippers.

Despite all the advantages you can enjoy from using online credit cards, there is always the possibility of online fraud. It is important that before you make any online purchase, check the validity of the website because you may make your payment yet no goods will arrive. Fraudulent merchants do exist.

Fraud also exists through computer geniuses who use various software or devices who will track your transactions when paying online for your purchases in the computer. These geniuses can capture all keystrokes you made in the computer and they can gain access to your card details. This is the harsh reality. You only need to be careful, or be wary of entering online credit card payments especially when you are using a public computer in an internet cafe.

But to be fair, the vast majority of internet sites can be trusted. This can be proven by the massive increase in on line trading worldwide. Exercise common sense caution and you will be fine.



TYRONE

Jeff Moynihan asked:


With the advent of the Internet, the way we run our businesses has changed dramatically. It has made the world spin faster and no one wants to wait for anything anymore than few seconds to few minutes. Waiting for 300 seconds too long and it is frustrating. The credit industry tries to exploit this growing weakness of the society to market its products. They try to attract customers through instant online cards and online credit card approval schemes.

How does the online credit card approval system work?

Once you fill your application online for your choice of credit card your credit details will be verified by the system; if you have your credit history anywhere between good and excellent then you are certain to get your card application approved and you will be notified of your status through email. In case of poor credit, your application will be declined and this too will be notified of the status of the application.

Is it safe to apply online?

You have to be careful while you apply for any cards; stories on online card scams never cease. Try to identify reputable credit card companies before you apply for your card. If you suspect that the application is requesting unnecessary information then be warned and try to check on other online application forms to see whether they request similar information. Secondly, be cautious of the terms and conditions; double check everything before you submit the details. Many online card approval schemes demand security deposits. The range of security deposits vary from $200 to $600.

Is online card approval really useful?

The answer would be yes and no. It is useful because you know the status of your application for the card instantly, you will know whether your application has been approved or not. You save yourself from the painful period of waiting and also the frustration when your application happens to be declined. It is lot more helpful to be updated of the status even if it is going to be declined so that you can start checking out for other options.

Besides that, card applications to a great extent seem not to worry about the credit history. There are people who have got their application approved even without a good credit history. However, we are not sure whether those are some exceptional cases or whether that is the general trend with online card applications. For some strange reasons there are also people with good credit history whose applications have been declined. This can be due to various possible reasons including the inability of the system to access the credit history of the applicant at the time of the application submission.

Even though your application gets approved instantly you have to wait for your card to reach you through mail before you can start using it. This is yet another marketing gimmick from the credit cards industry.

Summary: Today it is possible to apply for credit cards online and know the status of your application through online credit card approval. You have to be extra careful while applying for your card online enticed by instant approvals, as you might become one of the victims of online credit card scam.



DARIN