Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
Remember the days when you wrote checks to pay bills and went to the bank to deposit checks? Those days are long gone. Now, most transactions are done online, but is it safe? The last thing you want is for the wrong person to get your information, payment, or passwords. Luckily, secure online transactions are possible with companies like PayDo Here are some tips to help you stay safe in any online transaction.
The New York Times states that a cash-free future is on the horizon. Since the online world is where many people do business and personal transactions, it’s important to utilize only trusted payment gateways. A payment gateway is an online service that allows companies to get paid electronically. Many of them are secure, but it is best to work with trusted gateways so you can ensure the transaction process runs not only smoothly, but also safely.
Secure online transactions give you assurance that your transmission and any data storage is kept safely. You should get a transaction verification, which confirms your details, and there should be fraud prevention in place. It is also important to get confirmation that your funds have been sent and received.
Online payment security has come a long way and many businesses are using advanced encryption and tokenization to keep customers safe. What is the difference between the two?
Encryption changes sensitive data pieces into formats that are unreadable. Companies use practices like secure storage, information rotation, and safe deletion processes to encrypt data and keep it away from prying eyes.
Tokenization replaces data items with surrogates that are not sensitive. These are called tokens. They use multi-faceted authentication and encryption to store and generate any sensitive data you hand over.
It may make you roll your eyes when you are trying to get a payment through, but multi-factor authentication can help your e-commerce transaction safety rise. Here are some differences between traditional authentication and MFA.
There is a name and password for every site, right? If you have to put in a username and password to log in to something, you are using traditional authentication. However, if anyone gets a hold of your password, they can also get into your account.
The MFA goes beyond just the username and password. It might also send a one-time code to your phone or email address. It could send you a prompt to verify who you are to an app on your phone. It may even use biometrics through facial or fingerprint IDs. These are extra measures that keep you safe when using any accounts.
Customer education is an important part of the online payment safety process. Businesses can do everything they can to keep customers safe, and breaches could still occur. When customers and businesses work together, they will have the most success. Here are a few things customers need to know that businesses can educate them on:
It’s tempting to use the same password for every account or very simple options, but it’s in your best interest to use passwords that are hard to guess. Try mixing upper and lowercase letters with special characters and numbers.
Don’t sign into your accounts on public computers or over public Wi-Fi. Use only your secure connections when working with sensitive details.
Don’t share any of your information without knowing the source. Be wary of any phone calls that ask for financial information, and don’t click on links that come to your email if you aren’t expecting them.
Many companies have automatic emails and texts that can go out to you anytime you make a purchase. Sign up to receive those, so if something happens with your account, like someone getting through the verifications, and a purchase you didn’t authorize is made, you can fix the issue sooner rather than later.
While the pandemic may have started contactless life and the boom of virtual payments, Forbes states that the trend is only rising, not falling. That being the case, businesses have to find a way to keep their customers safe in order for people to want to continue doing business with them. In fact, e-commerce transaction safety measures are a great way for companies to build trust with their clients.
Online payment security is of the utmost importance in today’s digital world. Businesses build trust with their customers by ensuring their information is safe and sound. Utilize strong passwords, multiple authentication processes, and trusted internet connections to keep your online transactions secure.
Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.