by Erik Van Tongerloo

Created on: October 11, 2007   Last Updated: June 22, 2008

Online payments are popular in today's world. We can't imagine anymore the time we payed everything with cash money. The Internet and the easy of online shopping changed our habit of payments with cash money totally. Online payments took place in our daily life.

Everyone knows that it is necessary to ensure your online payments to protect you against several problems. Hackers try always to get some information about your credit cards or passwords which people need for payments online.

It is very important to take the necessary steps before you start with payments online.

1) SAFETY OF YOUR COMPUTER

- Install antivirus software and keep it up to date; your antivirus program will be updated daily because more than 250 viruses are detected daily. It is necessary you scan regularly all your files.

- Install anti-spyware software; check at least once a week if there are no upgrades available and scan all your files.

- Install a firewall; this kind of software will block your connection immediately if some information which can be dangerous wants to slip in your system.

- Make sure you have the most recent updates of your operating system

2) WEBSITE OF YOUR BANK

For payments online you normally will use the website of your bank. Most of these websites give the necessary tips for avoiding Internet fraud. Every safe connection will have https:// at the beginning of the Internet address and a padlock symbol.

Don't trust emails which ask for your password, your pincode or some other personal information! A bank will never send an email to ask such information. Don't click on a link in these kinds of emails ; they try often to get some personal information to make payments online from your bank account. These emails can be considered as scam and also people who use paypal often receive this kind of emails.

3) IS A PUBLIC COMPUTER SAFE?

Don't use a public computer for your payments online! You will never know if some spyware is running and if you should use it, change your passwords immediately. It is recommended to change your passwords regularly. Identity theft is a great risk and we all need to take the necessary actions to avoid this problem.

4)PASSWORDS

Don't store passwords you need for online payments on your computer. Hackers will always try to find them and to rob your bank account. Try to remember them and don't use passwords which easily can be found. I recommend you to make a combination of letters and numbers. It is best you store your password in a place where nobody can

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