Proxy Your Credit Card Online?

Online credit card fraud is rife!

We all love to shop online today, I know i do.....but does divulging our real credit card details across the WAN put us at risk?
Most likely it does to varying extents.

We know about running Virtual Machines from within our local host machine, but can we do the same with our Credit Cards?
It would make sense to mask our real credit card details just as an extra layer of security insulation against online fraud, harvesting, spoofing etc.

Virtual Credit Cards may be a possible solution in keeping our personal financial data safe when expending transactions online across the internet.

Does anyone use this facility or had any experience with it?

https://privacy.com/

 

Another option is a second credit card.
Then limit the maximum amount per transaction or month.

 

Perhaps I am looking at this the wrong way but if the virtual cc site gets hacked then does this not amount to the same....

I use one cc exclusively for online shopping and whenever possible use Paypal as a payment method so that I do not have to type my card details into various sites.

Yes I know Paypal may get hacked but always gonna be a catch 22.

The only other alternative that I have been considering is using a topup cc for online shopping........or bitcoin....

 

For unusual or other not normal transactions I use a Bluebird temporary card. It can be turned into a regular account, but I always just put a little over what I plan to spend. After it gets down to a few dollars I can get a usb stick or an adapter cable or such. There is a link on the site to check balances on a temporary card. I have 2 left over cards now that have like $1.86 and $2.10 left to spend after more than a couple years. If I lose the $3 by not using it still the peace of mind of not putting my high dollar available real cc's on line is worth it!

https://www.bluebird.com

 

Bank of America has a system called "shop safe" I can create a credit card with a limit and expiration I choose, whenever I need.
It is awesome! https://www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/accounts-cards/shopsafe.go

 

https://www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/accounts-cards/shopsafe.go

This from the website:

"a temporary credit card number that links directly to your real credit card account number."

Kinda defeats the purpose.

 

Thanks for the input lads, was kinda thinking along the same lines myself!

A very, very good point risk, and one that has been at the top of my doubt list also!

 

I've used an internet only, very low permanent limit credit card from my local bank for years. It is also not tied into any other account at the bank so no one can siphon funds from the checking account nor the money market account.

I looked back and was issued a new card, at my request in 2011, because there were 4 charges on it that I did not make. As I recall, a month or two earlier, I received my credit card bill and the envelope had been badly taped together. Apparently the post office delivered my mail to someone else. (Sadly, this happens all the time.) I complained to the post office, for all the good that did! (Last week on 3 different days we got mail belonging to different neighbors and on Sunday my husband found a doctor's bill sitting at the front door instead of being put into the mail slot on the other door. We suspect a neighbor got the bill and didn't know where to put it.)

I haven't had any unlawful purchases show up since 2011. Despite some sites having credit card info stolen. If possible, I try and click don't store my credit card info. I'd rather have to type in the card info than have it filled in. I also try to pay through PayPal, if that is an option, because then fewer sites know my credit card information.

 

"generate a temporary credit card number that links directly to your real credit card account number. Your card number remains completely private and protected"

No it doesn't. If you want to buy something on line you create a card that expires quickly and has just enough of a limit that it is one use. So if I want to try out a site for $19.99 I'm not to sure about it I create a card with a $20 limit, sign up and use that virtual card I just generated, then if they try to make more charges against that card, say "auto-renew" it will be declined. It has happened they kept trying using different processor but that virtual card would decline it - never hit my real account. But of coarse it is tied to my real account they have to use my available funds for that card.
It is like buying a cash card at the grocery, without leaving home & no fees.

 

No way for the two account numbers to be connected during a breach?

I like it when I don't have to provide any real personal info or never provide any link to an actual account. I would never be able to repair the damage that could possibly happen. The chance is just not worth it.

 

At the end of the day it is a virtual certainty that any online system will get hacked at some point in time and that your personal details will be stolen. How best to protect ourselves, by way of limiting the damage, is the dilemma facing us all.

Using a virtual cc certainly adds a layer of protection but does not address the fundamental problem at hand. Using something like Paypal again is not perfect by any measure but ensures that you only have to worry about one site getting hacked.

If anyone can find a truly effective solution then a billion dollar payout awaits that individual.

 

Never use paypal.They hold your money to make money off it.So paypal is kinda hacking you.

 

PayPal doesn't hold any of my money. I pay through PayPal which has another credit card on file and the bill gets sent there.

 

For those interested in Virtual Credit Cards...
https://www.creditcardrush.com/best-free-virtual-credit-card-providers/

 

I like net spend.

I have had them for at least 5 years now.The only fee i see is the load fee which is around 4 dollars.And there is no monthly charge.But there is a charge of a dollar if you use it in the stores.I only use mine for online shopping.

And they have there own site and app to check you're balance.
https://www.netspend.com/account/login