This is the era of internet and everything is available online. Books, outfits, things of daily need and even food is available online. To save their time people prefers online shopping. They are doing payments online using their credit cards. This is an advantage for all. On other hand, it has also invited to cyber crime. Hackers can steal user's credentials by using their highly programmed scripts and many other illegal activities. Online fraud is very easy for cyber criminals because they have no need to physically fit for it, only high level social skills and great programming skills are required to them. Lying on a bed, criminals can release malware, fake websites and phishing to steal the credit card details of any user. To use the credentials of credit card securely, is the responsibility of user.1. Do not tell anybody about your internet banking login credentials . CVV code and PIN code of your credit card is very sensitive information. If you got any email and message which is demanding for your credit card information, it is a trap set by the criminals. Do not respond it. This technique is called phishing. Criminals may also call you on the behalf of bank manager and may ask about your PIN Code, here you need to understand that banks will never do these type of activities because they have metadata of all the users.
2. Never store your passwords on browsers because criminals can steal cookies by spreading malware. Always log out your financial accounts after using them. Do not use these type of financial services on public wifi or cafes etc. If you want to do then use private browsing option.
3. Make sure that, the website on which you are going to enter your credit card information is a real website? Always take services from trusted websites which are using “https” protocol. Criminals may use the fake websites which look likes the original websites. They can use repeating alphabets in their website. For eg: www.bankofamerica.com is a real website and its fake website will look like www.bankoffamerica.com.
4. Always use a complicated and unique password for your online accounts, which is not easily guessable for criminals. Set a different password for each account. Never use the same password for all accounts. Use 2-step Authentication security method.
5. Use high quality paid AV Tools. Never compormise with your security by using free AV Tools. Criminals may use keyloggers to steal your credentials. If you have installed an Anti Virus software of good quality in your system,it will not be easy for criminals.
6. Use seperate card for online transaction which has less balance. In case if your account has been compromised by the hacker, the ratio of loss will be less.
7. If you are using mobile banking on smartphone, update all the apps and softwares time-to-time. Because all the outdated softwares are malwares.
It is your responsibility to protect your money from online fraud. Awareness about this is must, because internet is a place of advantages for both common user and cyber criminal.
