iQuanti: Do you have reservations about applying for credit cards over the Internet or your smartphone?
Plenty of people still prefer to fill out paper applications or call a credit card representative on the phone. For some, they fear sharing their personal information over a computer or leaking their information to cybercriminals.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, there's probably a better chance of your information getting misused offline than it would be online, as long as you know how to apply for a credit card online safely.
Is Applying for a Credit Card Online Safe?
Generally, yes. Online credit card applications have two major advantages.
The first is that the information you enter goes directly to the credit card company. With paper applications, information can sometimes get lost in the mail, intercepted by the wrong hands, or misused in some other way.
By contrast, when you apply online, the data transmits straight into the issuer's database. It will most likely go unseen by human eyes.
The second is the way that your data gets transmitted. Online credit card applications use SSL encryption technology (which stands for Secure Sockets Layer). As a standard type of encryption, SSL safeguards sensitive data sent between two systems.
These two factors prevent criminals from intercepting your information. And even if they did, the encryption would prevent them from reading it anyway.
How to Securely Apply for a Credit Card Online
Even though online applications remain secure, it's still possible to leave yourself vulnerable to identity theft. Use the following tips to make sure you submit your application securely.
Always use a private connection
No matter how much encryption a website uses, if you don't have a secure Internet connection, hackers can still intercept your information. That's why you should never use public Wi-Fi. Only apply for a credit card when you're at home or on a secure connection.
Never use a public computer
Either at school, at the library or at hotel, hundreds of people use public computers every day. Sometimes criminals will install special spyware on these devices that lie in wait until someone enters their information. The best strategy is to apply on a home computer or your personal mobile device.
Apply through the credit card company's website directly
There are several helpful websites that curate lists of reputable credit cards, and these lists can help you find the best and latest offers. However, sometimes other sites masquerade as legitimate only to send you to a fake credit card application and steal your information.
Instead of applying for a card from a separate website, go directly to the website of the card you want to apply for when you're ready. That way you'll know that it's legitimate and that your private data will stay secure.
Make sure the website is secure
When you're on the credit card's website, make sure that the address starts with "https". The "s" will indicate that the site is encrypted with an SSL certificate. Another hint is that there will be a small image of a padlock at the beginning of the URL.
Press Release Service by Newswire.com
Original Source: Is It Safe to Apply for a Credit Card Online?
