# Internet Payment **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-payment/151717 "2003-01-30T21:04:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Waste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Waste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waste)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-payment/151717/1 "2003-01-30T21:04:33Z")
Why can’t I use my debit card (attached to my savings account) to purchase goods or services on the internet? ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-payment/151717/2 "2003-01-30T21:59:42Z")
I use mine all of the time (it has a Visa logo), sometimes it gets rejected because the address does not match but I just tell whoever I am paying to call the bank and that solves all problems (a lot of companies use “address verification” and my ATM card shows the address of the bank, not my address). unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Davebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Davebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davebear)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-payment/151717/3 "2003-01-30T23:30:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Waste \* > \*\*Why can’t I use my debit card (attached to my savings account) to purchase goods or services on the internet? \*\* If it’s one that is affiliated with a credit card company (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) you _ **could** _ use it on-line. If it isn’t, and you can tell by whether or not the credit card company’s logo is on it, you can’t because the vendors have no way to submit a charge to your bank. Even if you can, it is **A VERY BAD IDEA** to use a debit card on the Web. In the unlikely event that your number is stolen, it’s a direct pipeline to **every penny you own** for the thief (assuming it’s all in that account, anyway) . Credit cards are protected, so your maximum loss is usually $50. There is **no such protection** for debit cards, even the ones that **do** have a credit card company logo. If a thief were to clean out your account, your only hope of getting your money back would be to sue him/her. Bad, **BAD** idea! ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-payment/151717/4 "2003-01-30T23:34:26Z")
You can, usually. But some merchants simply won’t accept debit cards. Regardless of what the Visa commercials say they aren’t _exactly_ the same as credit cards. And, IMHO, you really, REALLY shouldn’t use a debit card online. Think of it this way: If someone gets your credit card number and charges things on your account you won’t be responsible for the debt. But if the same thing happens with your debit card, the money is **gone!** Immediately. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-payment/151717/5 "2003-01-30T23:35:17Z")
Perhaps the problem is that it’s associated with your savings vice checking account. My daughter can’t use her ATM card as a debit card because she doesn’t have a checking account yet (they won’t let her open one till she’s 18) But when I used my ATM card as a debit card, it worked just fine. At least that’s the way it is at my credit union.