As we shift to a more technology-dependent world, our methods of payment change too.
In the past, we bartered. Today, we use virtual debit cards.
These cards make everyday online shopping that much safer. Here’s how.
What Are Virtual Debit Cards?
Virtual debit cards are nonphysical cards with numbers that have been randomly generated.
Instant virtual debit cards include a unique card number, expiration date, and security code for each of your virtual debit cards. You can create one in less than a minute; they’re easy and hassle-free.
You can use these cards for online transactions, in lieu of providing your actual card information.
These cards tend to be linked with your credit card or bank accounts, and are disposable. This may mean each virtual debit card you create works only for one transaction or with only one merchant.
How Do They Work?
27.6% of people worldwide do their shopping online, and that number is only going up. E-commerce has become the new way of purchasing and obtaining goods.
Virtual debit cards are catching up with the trends and they are so easy to work with.
When you’re ready to make a purchase and check out, you can create an instant virtual debit card with your credit card provider (through an app or online extension).
Use the information provided on your virtual visa debit card to fill out your payment information for the purchase.
It’s as easy as that!
How Are Virtual Debit Cards Safer?
Virtual debit cards are a buffer between your sensitive bank (or credit card) account information, the merchant, and the rest of the world.
Depending on the level of security on the merchant’s website, your payment information can be easily hacked. As we’ve all probably experienced at some point, data breaches are quite common.
For the average online shopper, virtual debit cards are a tad bit safer.
Instead of inputting your actual credit card or debit card information, you provide the information of one of your virtual cards.
Remember, these are random-generated numbers and not your actual card numbers. Virtual cards don’t expose information related to your account.
Even if a data breach were to occur on the merchant’s end and your payment information landed in the wrong hands, they only have access to one of your virtual cards.
You can disable your virtual debit card as quickly as you created them, through an app or an online extension.
Should you find any fraudulent charges made with your virtual card, you can dispute them within a certain number of days. Most credit card providers and banks will not hold you liable for any of the fraudulent charges.
Try It for Yourself
If you’ve never used a virtual debit card for your online transactions, you might be surprised to find how much easier they make your life.
Many of us already do our shopping online. Instant virtual debit cards make it a million times safer. Just be sure to create virtual debit cards with a trusted provider.
If you found this article helpful, check out more from our blog!
