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Online Shopping

Online Shopping

What risks are involved in shopping online?

Shopping online is convenient and rewarding, and the vast majority of online transactions go through safely. You can protect your money and your identity by using your Visa card, activating Verified by Visa and following the guidelines presented here.

How can Visa help protect me from online shopping risks?

Visa’s Zero Liability policy1 gives you 100 percent protection against card theft, loss, or unauthorized use. You won’t have to cover any fraudulent charges made using your Visa card. And you can get even more protection by activating Verified by Visa, which confirms your identity with an extra personal password when you shop at participating online merchants.

The Visa Security Program contains additional details about the multiple ways Visa keeps your card information safe and secure by preventing, detecting and resolving fraud.

How can I reduce my risk?

For starters, use your Visa card when shopping online and activate Verified by Visa. Additionally, it’s wise to visit only trusted merchants, avoid sites that require you to provide your Social Security number, and never send payment information by email. Also, be sure your transactions occur in a secure environment; look for the padlock icon at the bottom of your browser window. The website address, or URL, should also begin with https:// on any pages where you enter sensitive information. Lastly, it’s suggested that, for online and phone orders, you buy only from merchants that request the 3-digit security code from the back of your Visa card; it’s extra reassurance that the card is physically in your possession during the transaction.

Read all of our Tips for Protecting Yourself

1 Visa's Zero Liability policy covers U.S.–issued cards only and does not apply to ATM transactions, PIN transactions not processed by Visa, or certain commercial card transactions. Cardholder must notify issuer promptly of any unauthorized use. Consult issuer for additional details or click here.

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