As we spend more time shopping online, hackers are finding ways to steal from your credit cards. Just look at what happened to senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday, January 6, 2020. The hacker managed to change his registered phone number, where one time pin (OTP) is being sent, and was able to purchased 1 million worth of food in an online food service.
We all don’t want this to happen to us. Here are some ways you can protect your credit cards from hacking or fraud transactions.
- Create strong password
In creating passwords avoid alphanumerics that are personally identifiable like your name and birthday. Use acronyms or words or random letters and numbers that are meaningful only to you and alter the case throughout. If you can’t memorize them, write it down and keep it in a safe place. And change passwords often.
- Beware of phishing
Thieves send email in an attempt to get information you use to verify when using your credit card online. Always double or triple check the emails you received from banks if it’s not cloned before clicking any attachments that will take you to a fake site that could hack your card.
- Purchase items and services from reputable websites
Always be on the lookout before you get what you want or grab tempting promos online. Search reviews about the website and verify if it has a valid security certificate. It would also help if you install security software that would alert you if the website is a threat.
- Be suspicious when you respond to a call
If you take calls from agents, be mindful of the questions you have to answer. Be suspicious if they asked for your credit card information. And, never ever giveaway your card verification value or CVV, the three-digit number at the back of your card.
- Don’t publish personal info on social media
Making your personal information public is like giving freebies to thieves. Customize your privacy settings in every app you use if you don’t want to write fake birth dates on your social media accounts.
If scammers or hackers are too good to steal from you, don’t panic and immediately report your case to the bank provider. If signing up for credit card protection is not too much of a cost for you, don’t hesitate to enroll because credit card fraud could really be more costly if you find difficulty proving that the transaction is fraudulent.