Now that it is proven that “secure” sites can be tapped for CC#'s,
how will it effect e-trade? If possible, I phone my CC info. This is probably unwise as my # is put into a computer. Any ideas on how to buy online safely?
Zymurgist
I don’t know if there is such a thing as complete safety with cc’s. I’d say just make sure the site is a reputable one. If someone wants your cc # bad enough…it’s just like breaking in your house…they’ll find a way.
“Do or do not, there is no try” - Yoda
It’s been possible to get CC numbers off the net for a long time. You could get them out of the trash can at a restaurant before.
You’d need more than a CC nbr. You need the date & name exactly too.
Its pretty secure, if you noticed some of the sites guarantee this, whatever that means.
The last site I ordered something from required not only the credit card number, but also:
Your exact name as appears on the card
The expiration date
Your address as it appears in the credit card company’s billing database
The last three numbers from the code in the signature box on the back of your card
I guess it’s possible to steal all that information (hell, stealing my card will get you most of it except for the address) but to tap all of it over the net seems like more work than looking in discarded bags in and around the mall for credit card slips or beating people upside the head and stealing their wallets.
“I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
In the news, a week or so ago, an online merchant (IIRC,a CD distriutor) had ALL it’s CC# file pilfered by a hacker who demanded a ransom or the list would be put on the web (not paid). Another where the CC’s involved were canceled & new ones issued.Probably a real pain…If given a choice, I prefer the restraunt trash can to the WWW! Is there a cure in the works? Should one of the SDMB computer whizzes comes up with a way to make CC’s secure, He/she can buy this BB, the Chicago Reader & most of it’s home town!
We had someone intercept our credit card number a month or so before Christmas and use it to make a few thousands’ of dollars’ worth of online purchases, most of it at Amazon.com and for airline tickets. Amazon caught some of it before we even got the statement and were made aware of it, and they had already cancelled one or two of the orders (at $750 or so each!). We contacted the bank and they wrote off the rest.
The thing is, the credit card that was used is one that gets very little use by us. We use it to charge our AOL access on, and little else, except when my husband, a teacher, goes to the teacher’s store – he uses it for that because he gets reimbursed. But we’re talking only a few times a year for that. We had the card in our possession, and the only item on the statement that was ours was the AOL charge.
We’ve now decided to reserve one card with a low credit limit for our on-line purchases. I have a platinum card with a $50,000 limit – that’s NOT going to be the one! Instead, we’ve set aside a card with – hmm, I think it’s $1500 – as a limit. That way if somebody gets a hold of it and starts charging it up they aren’t going to get too far along before bells and whistles go off, and nobody’s going to lose much money on the deal.
-Melin
Carl,
The chances that your CC# is stolen on the net are far less than by handing over your credit card to a waiter in a restaurant or sales clerk. If you give your credit card number over a cordless phone, you risk someone with a scanner listening in on your conversation. A fellow computer friend of mine used to listen in on his nieghbor’s conversations all the time, the turd.
Remember, that you are only liable for the first $50 for a stolen #/card.
I have shopped regularly on the 'net for 3 years now with no problems. Always read through your statement thoroughly. Be sure that you are conducting business with a reputable business and through a secure connection. Never store information on your local computer (passwords and CC#s) etc. Regularly check Netscape or Microsoft for browser updates.
There will always be some form of theft and the 'net is just a new way to commit a crime. It is highly unlikely that something will happen, but since you are only liable for $50.00 on a regular credit card the risk is minimal.
Couldn’t find the article again, but I believe it was Reuters that carried a piece about a June arrest of 38 men in Toronto who were intercepting transmissions of CC info from brick and mortar stores to their banks. There’s no such thing as absolute security. As always it is caveat emptor.
The company is CDUniverse. I hadn’t made a purchase with them in over 2 years when I got the January 14 email that their credit card base had been hacked. In this case the hacker wasn’t trying to use the cards: it was a threat to use the cards if the hacker wasn’t paid money.
When the money wasn’t paid 25,000 numbers were put out on the www. The FBI was involved with this before Christmas and it appears they are not very close to any conclusion. The hacker was very good.
I have been the victim of stolen numbers before. In those cases the people who stole the numbers actually intended to use those numbers (and did).
Is the www any more dangerous than having a busy store clerk loudly communicate your cc info into a telephone? Or giving out your cc information on a cellular phone?