The clear answer to this question that people often ask is yes. Online applications for credit cards are processed on secure socket layer (SSL) encrypted servers with a high level of security. But people who are worried about their security online can take a few extra steps to feel better. Take the following steps to make sure your personal information is safe:
- ) There will be a padlock on any page that asks for personal information. This means that the connection is safe. The padlock will be in the bottom right corner of your browser's grey area at the bottom. When you double-click the padlock, the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate for the website will open.
- Take a look at the certificate. The certificate will show who registered it and check that the connection is safe. For example, if you want to get a credit card from American Express, www66.americanexpress.com is the verified registrant.
Do not send any information that could be used to find out who you are, especially your social security number, until you know that your information is encrypted correctly on a secure server.
Once you've made sure the application is safe, take the extra steps below to make sure your personal information doesn't stay on the computer you're using:
- ) Make sure to delete any form information that your browser has saved. To do this, go to your browser's TOOLS menu and choose INTERNET OPTIONS from the drop-down menu. You can erase all of your personal information here.
- ) Check to see if your computer has any harmful trojans or spyware.
When you need to give personal information online, you should follow the same rules as when you apply for a credit card. As a general rule, you shouldn't give your Social Security Number to a website unless it's a trusted company with a secure SSL server.
Applying for a credit card online is just as safe as applying for a credit card in any other way. In many ways, they are safer than other ways because you know that the information you send over the internet is sent safely. So, applying for credit cards online is safe for consumers as long as they take the right steps.
