7 Scenarios Where You Should Avoid Paying With A Credit Card

Credit cards are the most convenient forms of payment. Why shuffle around your bag looking for your wallet and scavenge through your dollar bills and coins trying to find the correct amount that you owe? Credit cards are here to save the day.

However, there are certain times when you should refrain from using credit cards. Safety first! Here are the times where you should not use your credit to pay.

1. On a website that doesn’t begin with “HTTPS”

HTTPS is the protocol for secure information being transferred over the web. It’s widely used over thousands of different platforms to process payment. If you don’t see HTTPS, you’re at risk for your credit card information being stolen.

2. Responding to an email

By no means should you ever, ever post your credit card information in writing online. This also means in response to an email. The only time you should ever provide your credit card information for someone else is over the phone, and sometimes you might even want to avoid that. If anyone ever asks you for your credit card information via email, it could be a phishing scam.

3. Speaking on the phone

Yes, there are sometimes when ordering from a retail store, you may be asked to provide credit card information over the phone. In most cases, this is okay. In unfamiliar stores and situations, caution is advised. You don’t know where your credit card information goes after you release it. You also don’t know who else might be listening in on the call.

4. When an online seller has no reviews or previous listings

If you’re considering buying from an online seller, you’re better off using Amazon or Etsy. Even eBay can get a little sketchy. If the seller has absolutely zero reviews and they have no previous listings but the current one, they might be trying to scam you out of money, and no eventual delivery.

5. When the merchant needs to take your card out of customer view for payment

This has happened many times where merchants may need to take the credit card out of customer’s view for payment. This usually occurs at drive-thru windows or bars. Always be careful and use your best judgment. There have been many incidents where employees have taken cards out of view and have written down the card information or taken a picture before returning it.

6. Purchasing online while connected to public Wi-Fi

You might want to wait to complete any purchases until you’re connected to a safe and secure network (like at your own home). If you’re on a public WiFi connection, any passwords, personal data, and credit card information can be obtained by someone trying to break into the system.

7. Making purchases on a public computer

While on any public computer, it’s best to save your purchases for your own personal device. Many public computers have keyloggers enabled to record every keystroke that you make on them, thus saving your personal information.

What do you think about all these shocking credit card scenarios? Be sure to SHARE this with a friend if you were surprised!