5 Tips for Secure Online Payments

The Internet has become so firmly entrenched in a person’s life that now almost anything can be paid for here. Starting with newspaper subscriptions, ending with purchases of large real estate abroad. But when making financial transactions on the network, you always need to be sure of the safety of funds on bank cards, electronic wallets and other payment systems. Fraudsters do not sleep. Without observing the elementary rules of protection, you can easily part with money.

Particularly cautious should be fans who make bets in betting shops, because they very often replenish their balance and withdraw funds. And where there is a lot of cash flow, there will always be those who want to seize finances by dishonest means. In order to protect yourself and your wallet as much as possible, and not become a victim of intruders, you should adhere to 5 simple, but very effective tips. Thanks to them, payments on the Internet will become more secure, and it will be difficult for fraudsters to withdraw money from the account.

Tip 1. Check the site for reliability

If you want to replenish the balance in a certain betting shop or withdraw money, you must first be sure that the site is reliable and provides a high level of user protection. There are frequent cases when hackers intercept the information that the user enters, and then “clean up” their accounts. And this happens because of the fault of the resource, who did not take care of the elementary safety rules. There are a number of important factors that you should pay attention to first.

HTTPS protocol

Having opened the BS website, first of all, you need to make sure that it transmits data via the https secure protocol. It is with this abbreviation that the address of the resource should begin, you can see it in the corresponding browser line. If the domain works via the http channel, it means that it does not encrypt the data transmitted by the user, and this is a reason to beware. Attackers can easily intercept information and use it for their own purposes.

If it was discovered that the portal does not support https, then it is not recommended to enter payment data in any case. This applies not only to betting shops, but also to online stores, casinos, and other resources where it is possible to pay for goods and services. It also happens that a trusted and trustworthy shop does not extend the secure connection service on time. In this case, it is better to wait until the owners fix everything and only then carry out financial transactions.

Life hack. Most modern browsers themselves signal if the website works on an insecure http channel. The user will receive a warning about the danger of entering personal information here.

Other symptoms

Sometimes the protocol can be in the form of https, but still there is a danger of being on the site. Fraudsters simply create a clone of the popular BS and lure usernames, passwords, payment information of players. You need to carefully look at the address of a resource, usually changes only one-quarter of a- two letters, digits, and hyphens are inserted into points. If the domain differs from the usual one, it should be left immediately. The situation is complicated by the fact that offshore betting shops create a lot of “mirrors” to bypass provider locks and constantly modify the address, so it is difficult to understand the first time: is this a real shop or a fake.

If the resource looks suspicious, you need to “walk” on it, examine it. Usually scammers do not bother themselves and do not create an exact copy of respectable websites, there will be differences anyway. They should be given special attention, if any, to leave the portal.

Tip 2. Use cards with 3d-secure

Bank cards are used by almost all bettors, with their help it is easy to replenish the balance in BS and withdraw money. As a rule, a commission is not charged, or it is very scanty. This is the advantage of plastics over electronic wallets. However, the cards are very vulnerable, because the user has to enter confidential information, including the CVV code (3 digits on the back of the card).

Attackers actively exploit weaknesses of plastics and rob honest players. In some cases, it is enough to know the data printed on the front side of a bank card in order to withdraw funds from it by paying for goods and services on the Internet. To protect yourself as much as possible, you need to use cards that support 3d-secure technology. This is essentially a double confirmation of a financial transaction. The step-by-step process is as follows:

• The client visits the website and goes to the tab to replenish the account, where they select the method of “Bank cards”.
• New predictions for soccer, tennis, hockey, basketball, etc. are created every hour.
• A special form is filled out, in which standard data are indicated: plastic number, validity period, name of owner, CVV.
• After the initial confirmation of payment, the user is redirected to the website of the bank that issued the card. Here you need to re-confirm the operation by entering the password from the SMS message.
• Take a look at the freebets offered by the bookmaker.
• The bank checks all the data, and if they are correct, it allows you to complete the payment.

Thus, even if a fraudster takes possession of the card information, they will not be able to pay anything with it, since confirming SMS messages will be sent to the phone number associated with the client.

Recommendation. When using a bank card, you must make sure that it works on the principle of 3d-secure. It is also recommended keeping special plastic, which will make payments on the Internet. It is not advisable to store significant amounts on it.

Tip 3. Install antivirus software on your computer

It is equally important to protect your own computer and phone from various viruses, trojans and other malicious scripts. Often, attackers seize confidential information not on websites, but directly on the device of a user who has not properly secured themselves.

Today there are many viruses and malicious scripts that steal human data. They read passwords and logins from the personal account of BS, electronic wallets, bank cards and pass them to the hacker. Tom can only use the information obtained for their own selfish purposes.

The most popular viruses can track which keys the user clicks on, what resources they visit and where they pay for services and goods. They even analyze information and pass it along the chain to a hacker. To protect yourself from such malicious programs, you must install an antivirus on your computer, and it’s better to pay for it and with wide functionality. Free options are usually ineffective in the fight against viruses.

In addition to installing security software, the user must adhere to other elementary safety rules:

• do not download suspicious files from the Internet that do not have a certificate and are not verified;
• do not visit dubious resources;
• use only licensed applications;
• constantly update security programs;
• do not give sites permission to interfere with the PC registry and file system;
• from time to time scan the device for viruses;
• delete unnecessary files and programs.

When conducting a financial transaction, it is recommended using the secure payment function, which is available in almost all antiviruses. It is built into some browsers by default. The bottom line is that not a single PC program, including malware, can read it.

Important. To replenish your account in BS, it is better to use only a computer. Mobile networks cannot provide the same level of protection as a PC.

Tip 4. Do not use public payment networks

In many cafes, restaurants, parks, shopping centers and even public transport free wi-fi is available. On the one hand, it’s convenient: you don’t need to spend mobile traffic to access the Internet. But on the other hand, it is in social networks that there is an increased risk of running into scammers and losing personal data.

When connecting to a public network, you need to understand that it is practically unprotected, no one is particularly concerned with its security. In such circumstances, fraudsters can use the simplest equipment to connect to an open Wi- Fi channel and steal the data of people who use it. Sometimes clones of well-known networks are created, entire websites are replaced to mislead a potential victim.

Given all the shortcomings of public wi-fi, in no case can you open the resource of a betting shop, place bets, enter logins and passwords. Chances are that they are considered by attackers. And even more so, you can’t try to replenish your account and withdraw money from the balance. The same rule, in principle, applies to all portals where you need to enter personal data. Open networks are only suitable for listening to music, watching videos and visiting entertainment websites.

Safety rules when using free wi-fi:

• If the network does not require a password at all, then it is better not to use its services at all. Such places are considered “tidbits” for cybercriminals.
• You can’t register accounts, indicate any personal data on any portal. This is fraught with their loss.
• In the device settings, put a ban on automatic connection to available networks.
• After exiting the free wi-fi, check the file system of the device for a suspicious application and third-party scripts. If they are found, remove immediately.
• Find out which bookmaker you can get a sign-up bonus from.

Attention. You cannot download any files to the device through a public network. Even in them, hackers manage to embed malicious files and viruses.

Tip 5. Enable two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is a way to protect personal data in an online environment by setting two steps to verify your identity. In simple terms, to enter an account or make a payment, the user needs to enter secret codes twice. Only after this, the system identifies it and allows you to carry out the necessary actions.

The first step is obvious: this is a classic username and password. The unreliability of such a security system is obvious and has long been proven, hackers crack almost any secret code. In addition, most people prefer to install simple ciphers, which are not difficult to pick up. However, complex passwords cannot be considered reliable; cracking them is just a matter of time.

The second step is confirmation of the action using a special code, which is entered in a separate field. The most common method is SMS to the phone, a person receives a message with a cipher and enters it. It can also be sent by e-mail and other instant messengers.

Thus, even if a fraudster breaks the password, they will face a second obstacle — the need to enter a secret code. And for this you need a phone number or access to email. Therefore, if a message arrives with a request to indicate a code for a financial transaction, this should never be done. Change your password immediately.

Information. Not all payment systems support two-factor authentication, this simplifies the task of thieves. But you can always install special applications that will not allow you to conduct a financial transaction, without confirming your identity on two levels.

Conclusion

These are the basic rules for secure payments on the Internet. 5 tips in brief:

• Check the website BS for reliability.
• Use bank cards with 3d-secure technology.
• Install antivirus software on your computer and phone.
• Do not use public wi-fi networks for payments and access to your personal account.
• Enable two-factor authentication.

It must be remembered that attackers are also improving and inventing new methods for taking money from gullible people. Therefore, it is important to ensure a high level of security, constantly improve and update security technologies and not trust dubious resources.