Eugene, Oregon
United States
San Francisco State, University of Oregon
San Francisco, Honolulu, Eugene
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. - Mark Twain
Sidelines: A Consumer Advocate's Wish List for 2009 (Part 1 of 3)Tip: The Disposable Credit Card
May 28, 2008
You can save yourself a lot of grief from identity theft by taking advantage of a little junk mail.
Many people keep their main email inbox free of spam by using a “throw away” email address when shopping online. In the same fashion, you can protect yourself from online identity theft by getting a disposable credit card.
Sign up for the best of the junk mail credit card offers that land in your snail mailbox. Use that card exclusively for online purchases. If your information is lost or stolen… you can cancel just that card. You won’t have to disrupt your primary credit card account —the one that autopays your cell phone, holds all your airline miles or is on file with the rental car company.
If you don’t want to open an additional account, you might still have an option. Some card vendors can provide you with a second differently-numbered card or even a single-use “virtual” card number.
I am not a fan of credit card companies. However, I do recommend that if you must use a credit card online, that you get a second card for that purpose. As you state, if you don't read the fine print, you may end up paying fees you didn't expect. However, that is much less cost and hassle than having your identity stolen. It is the lesser of two evils.
What are you talking about? If you are opening another credit card, you are paying more in fees, some change as much as 79.00 per year just for having the card. And, don't the credit cards all have identity theft protection with them anyway? Sounds like a scam to make money for the credit card industry. And, don't forget , they already reserve the right to raise your interest rates at their convenience, and they will increase your rate to a whopping 29% if you are late for just one month!!! Seniors on fixed income don't need to be dealing with these scheisters anyway!
Views: 1975
Comments: 2
Bookmarks: 0
