Editorial By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
Online shopping has taken Australia by storm in recent years, and is proving particularly popular in rural areas, where shoppers may live further than convenient from precincts or specialty stores.
However, with online shopping now mainstream, it’s more important than ever to remain vigilant about cyber security, particularly with credit cards.
Credit card fraud is one of the most common crimes in Australia today and can prove extremely damaging. It takes only minutes to drain accounts and offenders may be hard to trace.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) states that it’s important to protect yourself from credit card scams through simple but effective precautions. Never send money or give credit card details to anyone you don’t know or trust. Regularly check your bank account and credit card statements when you get them, and report any suspicious activity to your bank immediately, choose passwords that would be difficult to guess and avoid using public computers to do internet banking. Never give out credit card details through an email or text message.
Once you’ve contacted your bank, they can then hold your cards, send out replacements and investigate the transactions. After lodging a transaction dispute form, it is likely your money will be refunded if the purchases are found to be genuinely fraudulent and you have taken the necessary precautions to protect your details.
Online shopping can be a great tool for picking up bargains and can save the hassle of trips to shopping centres. By following simple online safety precautions, you can minimise the threat of online fraud.
