Internet Transactions - Overcoming the Fear

I have never been a person who would go and buy stuff on-line. With e-commerce developing all around us and many of us bloggers using many ways to refer people to various products to be bought on-line, I thought it was a good time to write how I overcame my fear of Internet transactions.

Getting a Credit Card

Its natural being someone with a bit of IT background to be a bit apprehensive about Credit Cards. Knowing that how easy it is to pick up a Credit Card number and (mis)use it on-line. Firstly, it's very recent that I got my first credit card. I was recommended by a good friend of mine with similar apprehensions about the Non-Islamic concept of Credit Cards. It took a long time before we both agreed that we will not live on credit and not let interest be charged to us. Pay the bills as they come or even before the due date. We will only keep it for an emergency. That got me buying a free for life credit card. I was quick to realize the benefits of it. An ease of mind that a medical emergency will not make me go around borrowing money from anybody. To-date I keep a credit card to save me from those situations.

Making my First Transaction On-line

Ok so what if I have a credit card. I am not going to give my number away on a website which could easily be mis-used by someone else. No way. Whats the safety of it? If anybody knows me a bit, I could be the most pessimistic person in the world. I spoke to my bank and how they can protect me from such situations. I had no intentions to use it on-line, just wanted to get a feeler. There were lots of options such as spending a monthly fee for insurance of any unforeseen misuse . That didn't go well with me. But they also told me that we could call you every time when you make a transaction to confirm. Now that sounded a little more comfortable. So every time my card is used on-line, somebody from the bank will call to confirm. Much much comfortable.

I made my first transaction for an on-line exam. A safe transaction and they did call to confirm. I am much at ease now. Then I made another transaction to get something else on-line and they didn't call. I got worried. Next time I used my credit card at a grocery, it didn't work. I called them to find out whats wrong. They said, we had blocked it as you made an on-line transaction. Another kind of confirmation to avoid misuse. I got back to my ease mode. They are taking care of any misuse on my card.

Most banks now also offer a limit on which they would call you, a maximum limit and anything that you can think of to make your on-line transactions safe and secure. Some banks also have a specific card only to be used for Internet Transactions. This card, you can keep at home as you cant swipe it. Low limits on these ones. No chance of someone snatching it etc.

Learning a lot more about it, I am still very careful while using my credit card on-line. You have to know where you are using it. Avoid phishing gimmicks and use your credit card on better known websites like Amazon, Ebay, etc. I don't think its as bad as it sounds and all this coming from a person who was apprehensive about the concept in the first place, I think it says a lot about the improvement in safety & security of it as of today.

Once the apprehension is gone, you suddenly realize how much ease you are at. Buy stuff, get deals, gain bonus points. The bank & credit company gains as well. Its a detailed topic which I will write on to give you an idea as to whats the benefit to them. But it is a mutual gain, I can guarantee you.

Its all about how you use it and not get dependent on it. Don't build credit on it, just gain a wider option for buying something you want.