How to Stay Safe When Paying Online

Online scams and payment fraud are on the rise globally, and Yorkshire is no exception. Criminals are becoming ever more sophisticated so that even tech-savvy individuals can find themselves victims. To safeguard against it, it helps to be proactive and know what to look out for. Below, we give you some ways to stay safe when paying online.

Consider the Payment Methods Used

One way to stay safe is to make sure you are using secure payment methods. The major providers like Mastercard and Visa, along with eWallets like PayPal, are good options. The problem arises if and when details on their way to these companies are intercepted.

This is more likely to happen if you choose lesser-known merchants, which can be an option if you pay on high-risk sites. High-risk sites are ones that banks consider a risk to their payment processing. It does not necessarily mean they sell dangerous goods, but ones with high levels of returns or large ticket prices. Even furniture sales can be considered high risk by some banks.

To counteract this, some services have started to provide options to deposit using mobile phone bills. This works similarly to how phone payments worked in the past. You choose to pay funds and it is charged to your mobile provider to be billed later, or taken from your pay-as-you-go balance. The advantage of this is the security it affords, as you are not sending payment details over a network. MrQ casino is an example of one company that has found the ability to deposit with mobile casino successful with their customers. As an additional option, it provides a layer of security that is not always present in other payment options.

Check Website Security

Another way to safeguard your payment information is to check the website itself is secure. You can do this in a few ways, with the most convenient being a look at the search bar. Make sure it has a green padlock symbol, which shows it is encrypted and secure. Some browsers will even turn your address bar green to give you the go-ahead.

You can check this further by clicking on the padlock itself. This will give you a security certificate for the website. Make sure the address has an https://. prefix.

Lastly, double-check that the website address is the same as the one published in the marketing materials. Website pharming is a scam where fake sites are set up to encourage people into entering their details, inadvertently giving their details away to scammers.

Use Secure Wi-Fi

Your Wi-Fi at home will be secure, as your providers should have set it up for you. This is not the case when using public Wi-Fi, which anyone can access. Information can be intercepted easily when you use these, so don’t pay for anything online using the internet provided in restaurants, coffee shops and shopping centres.

If you encounter any problems, don’t forget that West Yorkshire Police have an action fraud helpline you can call for emergency help and assistance. You can find the link here to all their published information on the topic. Don’t forget to also notify your bank.