There are many ways to pay online, depending on which payment providers each retailer chooses to allow.
You can pay by credit or debit card and that has the benefit of a bank to complain to if you are ripped off by a retailer. However, there is also the risk of the retailer having access to your card details and the risk of a data breach at the retailer.
If you choose a service such as PayPal instead then only they have access to your card details and any retailer you buy from using PayPal will not see the details.
1. PayPal
You register with PayPal and connect your card or bank details then use PayPal for online payments. When you make a Purchase with Paypal the service takes the money from your card or bank account.
It is a good idea to use 2 factor authentication with services such as Paypal so that any scammer would need more than a login and password to gain access to your account.
2. Alternatives to Paypal
There are many online payment services similar to PayPal and many are cheaper to use than PayPal.
- This is Business News Daily’s choice for the best online credit card processor for online businesses. Stripe is one of the most popular PayPal alternatives, particularly for online businesses. The service is easy to integrate into business systems and to customize using their simple API.
- This started as mobile point-of-sale transactions, but can be used for online payments via invoice or website.
- This for service-based businesses with a high volume of international transactions. It is known as a cheap way to send money internationally.
3. Prepaid Payment Cards
If an online shop only takes credit or debit cards and you don’t want to use those cards, then a prepaid card can solve that problem. You can buy a prepaid card from a reputable supplier and use that instead.
These cards hide your identity as they are more like cash.
4. Amazon Pay
Amazon Pay is a service that lets you use the payment methods already associated with your Amazon account to make payments for goods or services on third-party websites. This reduces 3rd party costs.
5. Amazon Cash
Amazon cash is similar to the Paypal cash option and you can buy the cash card and use it just like cash on Amazon.
6. Mobile Phone Payment
Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay are all highly secure and available on your smart phone. Whichever you choose has to be linked to your bank account or card then can be used for pay for a wide variety of goods and services online.
You can also use mobile payments when you’re shopping in-person. Just select the payment method on your device and scan it with the card reader instead of swiping a physical card or using cash. When done properly, there’s no need to touch anything besides your phone, making it a safer way to pay during a pandemic.
If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.
