
Online Shopping
‘Online shopping’ refers to purchases made either on a computer or on a smart phone/tablet. You can shop online with or without full authentication.
Using a card is a safe method of payment in online shopping as long as you exercise the same care as in other shopping.
Golden Rules Of Online Shopping

Download the Golden Rules (PDF)
Golden Rules - Safe Online Shopping (EN) Other languages: Austria - DE | Bulgaria - BG | Belgium - NL FR | Colombia - ES | Croatia - HR | Czech Republic - CS | Denmark - DA | Finland - FI SV | France - FR | Germany - DE | Greece - EL | Hungary - HU | Ireland - EN GD | Italy - IT | Latvia - LV | Lithuania - LT | Malta - MT EN | Netherlands - NL | Portugal - PT | Poland - PL | Romania - RO | Slovakia - SK | Spain - ES | Sweden - SV | United Kingdom - EN | North Macedonia - MK | Norway - NO | United States - EN
Better safe than sorry:
Never send your card number, PIN or any other card information to anyone by e-mail.
If you are not buying anything, don’t submit your card details. There are for example games and fake lotteries online which sole purpose is to get your credit card information.
Many e-merchant sites will ask to store your payment details. Think twice before deciding and make sure you understand the risks this might imply - such as the site becoming compromised by cybercriminals. Most well-known brands have a strong customer security policy.
Buy from trusted sources. Use brands and shops that you are familiar with or have used before and check the ratings of individual sellers on sites such as Amazon or EBay. For Internet purchases, make sure you use the internet security protocol called 3D Secure - Verified by Visa / SecureCode / SafeKey. Ask your bank or your card issuer about it.
Whenever possible, do your online shopping at sites that use full authentication (Verified by Visa / MasterCard Secure Code).
If the website does not support full authentication, make sure the data transfer is appropriately protected. Check that there is an icon of an unbroken key or locked lock at the bottom of your browser window and that in the address bar the URL begins with https:// instead of http://.
Don’t send money to anyone you don’t know. If someone approaches you online and asks for money, think whether you would give the same amount of money to an unknown person on the street.
When purchasing something online from another person, don’t send money upfront to the seller. If possible, reserve the right to receive the goods first.
Use credit cards when purchasing things online. Most credit cards have a strong customer protection policy; if you don’t get what you ordered, your bank can advise you in the refund process.
Before providing your card details to pay for a continuous service over the internet (such as virus protection software), find out how you can stop that service and the recurring charges related to it.
Always save all documents related to your online purchases. They may be needed to establish the terms and conditions of the sale or to prove that you have paid for the goods.
Some online shops outside of Europe may request a copy of your card and passport by fax in order to ensure that the order is being placed by the actual cardholder. Never send your card details in an unencrypted e-mail. If you do not supply these details, the shop will probably not ship your order.
A few extra tips...
- Know your finances. When looking at your bank statement, you should be able to recognize every purchase made. Remember that it is also possible that a merchant has a different name on the outside of the shop than on the bank transaction. Report any strange activity to your bank.
- Be very cautious of attractive offers and information you may find online or by e-mail. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Be wary of unsolicited e-mails. Don’t open attachments or click on links they might contain, even if they appear to come from a trusted merchant, as they might be part of a phishing scam.
Safety Tips For Apps
General online security tips:

Your credit card(s)
When using a card to pay in a retail outlet:
- Always use your hand, wallet, or purse as a shield when entering your PIN.
- Check the total amount before accepting a payment with PIN or signature.
- Never lose sight (and if possible touch) of your card during payment transactions.
- Save transaction receipts of all your purchases at least until you receive your next credit card or account statement. They may help in investigating unclear transactions.
Check your online banking service regularly. Notify your bank immediately if you see payments or withdrawals that you have not made yourself.
Tags
- How-to guide
- Public awareness and prevention