Internet payments. Myths about dangers of online payments.
A number of myths about the risks of payments via a computer are common among the older generation. Apparently, these myths were induced by multiple financial speculations in USSR, when people never knew what to expect from their state for the next day: one day it was denomination in 1961, another day it was withdrawal of 100 and 50 rouble banknotes from circulation, or a wild inflation which turned bank savings of millions of people into a dab of money. All this, mildly speaking, did not contribute to confidence.
Later on, in the end of the nineties, there as a seizure of the Baltija Bank, and at that time already independent and democratic Latvia pretended not to be responsible for anything. In 2014 Latvia itself “killed” Krājbanka, depriving millionaires of their millions. Everyone remembers it of course. However, only few would remember that at the same time there was a law adopted in Europe that guaranteed preservation of any deposits under 100,000 euro on the territory of EU countries.
However, phobias never surrender that easy, myths never die of themselves. Now a man finds on a computer some product he is interested in, but realizes that he has recently read lots of articles about incidents, where some data of some payment cards had been stolen from someone in the internet, and the neighbour Liga told, that if you made an online payment by card, villains would withdraw all the money from it and would receive a huge loan, which Liga would have to repay by selling her apartment.
Anyone is surely familiar with some of these myths:
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If one exposes credit card number in the internet, all his/her money will be stolen with no chance of getting it back;
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If one pays someone on the internet, he/she will be left one on one with evil hackers;
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If one pays by a card, his/her money will be withdrawn, an online store will be closed and will not deliver the goods;
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If one pays by a card, his/her money will not be withdrawn, an online store will deliver the goods and then will take him/her to court;
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If one enters his/her online bank password somewhere, evil hackers will steal all his/her pension for good;
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If one enters his/her data in an online store, evil hackers will steal his/her identity.
Do these ideas seem familiar?
Actually, payment by cards on the internet is easy, safe, and comfortable, as:
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VISA or MASTERCARD card providers guarantee you a refund in case of a dishonest retailer;
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Your bank guarantees you a refund in case of a dishonest retailer; and
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The state guarantees you a refund in case of a dishonest retailer.
Another guarantor of safety of your payment card is your 3d secure password, which is created by you in your bank and which is known to you only. And, finally, you have a possibility to cancel any card payment by calling your online bank.
Furthermore, there are a number of tips that make your online payments even safer.
If you make online purchases, perform transactions only on proven websites; make sure the website uses https protocol in its address line for financial transactions. This will protect your data against leak.
Keep your card information safe. It applies not only to your PIN code, but also to the CVV code on its reverse side. Do not unnecessarily leave hold of your card beyond internet, especially in restaurants or coffee shops.
If you need to withdraw money from ATM, follow safety rules. Upon approaching the ATM check its condition for additional cameras or any plates on a card slot or a keyboard.
If your card is lost or stolen, call your online bank immediately and block it. Then go to the bank to file an application. Inform your bank, if you suspect that your card data might become known to third parties.
In general, do not hesitate to contact your bank. Most of financial institutions provide support on a 24/7 basis. Any issue related to your card can be cleared up by calling the support team or contacting them via e-mail.
And do believe that neither your bank nor the state are no longer interested in cheating on you – times have changed. And people are not being shot any more.
