Online Credit Card
While there are no "online only credit cards" there may be some in the works for
the future. However, any credit card can be used online. All you need is your
credit card number, your card holder name, the expiration date, your billing
address, and most cards also have a card verification number in addition to the
card number. This number is usually three or four digits and is on the back of
the card or in small print on the front of the card outside of the card number.
Online Cash Cards
There are companies that offer online gift certificates that work just like a
credit card. You are given a credit card number (account number), an expiration
date, and a card verification number for your particular account (you supply
your name and billing address). Then you can spend the money in that online
account by using that information just like a credit card. These accounts are
great for sending someone a gift of money.
Online Safety
Safety is the number one concern when it comes to using credit cards online.
First of all, never give your credit card information to anyone via e-mail,
instant message, or in a chat room. It will not be safe and is extremely likely
to be stolen. Second, when shopping online look for a secure connection. There
will be a lock symbol in the corner of the window, which means the information
you put in will be encoded. This means only you and the store you are sending
it to will see the information in it's proper form. If someone were to hack
into the information they would just see a bunch of scrambled letters, numbers,
and / or symbols, which keeps your information a secret. Third, check the
website’s security policy to find out what exactly they use to protect your
information. You may want to check their privacy policy as well.