Shopping from home: credit card security
You should always be extra careful when asked to give personal information online.
Always check that you are on a secure site at this stage of the ordering process.
You will know that the site is secure if it has a padlock symbol on the bottom right hand corner of your web browser, and its web address has an extra "s" at the beginning - it will start with "https://..." instead of the more usual "http://..."
Remember that sometimes online sellers begin the ordering process on an ordinary website (http://...) then divert you to their secure site (https://...) just before the point where you need to provide personal information such as your credit card details.
Credit card fraud
If your credit card has been used fraudulently, you may cancel any payments made under a distance contract and are entitled to the return of that payment so long as you have notified your credit card company of the loss or theft of the card before the disputed transaction took place.
If you have not reported the theft or loss of your card, your credit card company would have to prove that you authorised the transaction.
Even if you are not 100% sure that it is fraud, for many types of goods and services you can still cancel your order without giving any reason within the "cooling off period", or during the time before you actually receive any goods or services you have ordered online.
If there is a discrepancy on your credit card bill you should immediately contact your credit card company. The credit card company should then contact the vendor to clarify the situation.
Learn about your rights when shopping from home
