We have all been the victims of junk mail and e-mail. If you look at the junk mail that we receive each and everyday, you will probably find out that about 30% of the junk mail/e-mail that we receive are credit card offers. Credit card companies are master of their domain - direct marketing. But in the past few years, the financial industry is using technology to attract and retain more customers. Credit companies are no exception here as they have created Internet marketing channels to acquire customers online.
Now more than ever consumers are using the Internet to apply for credit cards online. Online credit applications are easier to fill out, and some of them offer you instant approval, making the whole process faster and more convenient.
A lot of consumers are not too fond of online credit card applications. The main reason is their discomfort in giving out the personal information online. Everyday you hear a lot about theft identity, phishing, hacking incidents. No wonder many folks are terrified of touching online applications. But applying online shouldn't be scary. Theft identity happens when folks are not careful with their information. But if you are cautious with your private information, you would do just fine online. Here are a few ways you can make applying online more secure for yourself:
o Be careful about e-mail: you should avoid clicking on e-mail links at all cost. There have been many incidents where people have clicked on an email link just to be redirected to a fake page. In addition, most PC and Mac viruses spread via e-mail links. But if the offer that you have gotten to you is too compelling, make sure you verify who the sender is. You can do so by right clicking on the link and viewing the destination URL. If the link is not going directly to [card_issuer].com, then you not click on it.
o Be careful about comparison sites: many folks apply for credit cards on online comparison sites. Make sure you do not share your information on those sites. You should only enter your information in a credit card application that is hosted by a card issuer.
o Increase Your Browser's security setting: most modern browsers (Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Flock) protect you against phishing attacks. They also allow you to have a tighter security setting when surfing the World Wide Web. It's always better to be a bit cautious when applying for a credit card online. You should also use firewalls and antivirus software to protect yourself against key-loggers and other malicious files.
The Internet is a wonderful tool that allows all of us to get things done quickly and in a more convenient fashion. But there is a price to be paid for folks who are not careful with their private information. So do yourself a favor and protect yourself at all time. If you do that, there is no reason for you not to use online credit card applications.
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Great! Thanks a lot for this information. This will be helpful to those who are new to credit card processing. I am using one and so far I am not having any problems with it. nice post!
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