How To Avoid Credit Card Fraud When Shopping Online
There have been numerous reports of people’s credit cards having fraud issues after making a purchase on Gift Card Mall. Purchasing Visa gift cards off of Gift Card Mall is a way people increase their spending. The fees are low and it is possible to get your name on some of the designs which helps people avoid liquidating issues. But is it worth the hassle of potentially having to deal with credit card fraud when shopping online? I wanted to share one way to avoid fraud purchasing Visa gift cards or anything else online.
Banks That Offer Virtual Credit Card Numbers
There are a few banks that offer virtual credit card numbers that help avoid fraud when shopping online. You use the virtual number, it bills the charge to your normal account, and then it is useless. Some banks will allow you to use it for longer periods of time but I don’t really see the purpose in that. So if anyone gets a hold of that number and tries to run up fraud charges they will be out of luck.
Chuck at Doctor of Credit already did all the heavy lifting in this area and I don’t want to steal their work so be sure to check out his guide. I will give you a brief rundown of the banks that offer it.
- Bank of America – only on Visa and Mastercards
- Capital One
- Citi – only on certain Citi cards
- Various smaller companies (check DoC for more info)
It is sad to see that Chase and Amex are not on the list. But there are some very good cards from lenders on the list. Many will find those cards useful making Visa gift card or any other purchase online.
Final Thoughts
If you were concerned about your account’s safety when shopping online then this is a good option. It could mitigate the hassle that comes with fraud charges when your credit card number is stolen. Hopefully this tip on how avoid credit card fraud when shopping online will save you some future hassle.
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