A stolen identity or wiped-out bank account aren’t the kinds of surprises you want. Protect yourself with identity theft protection.
When shopping online it’s best to stick to credit cards or payment services like Paypal. Because debit cards are linked to your bank account, you’re at much higher risk if someone is able to hack your information. Credit cards offer more protection and less liability if a card number gets stolen. This is one time when it pays to put it on plastic.
Our advisory group member and cybersecurity expert Pete Canavan agrees. For speedy refunds in case something does go wrong, he recommends sticking to payment services and credit cards.
“When a fraudulent site or transaction is found, credit card companies will typically immediately reverse the charge and conduct an investigation,” he says. “If you use your debit card and there is a problem, your bank may not give you the money back until after an investigation is conducted, which could take weeks or months.”
