Safest way to Buy on Line

I much prefer to use PayPal for online purchases. I've only ever had one issue in over 20 years and it was resolved very quickly.

PayPal means I am not giving out my card details to various places and PayPal also has other advantages. I've used it to pay money to friends and also to receive payments from overseas contacts. No bank fees to pay on those which makes it better for all concerned IMO.

If someone pays into my PayPal account I can choose whether I have it deposited into my linked card account or leave it in my PP account in which case any purchases are paid from my balance rather than from my card.

Never visited a fake website or answered a phishing email in my life.

I've banked and shopped online for decades - with never a problem. I find PayPal very secure and convenient for one off small purchases, like sacks of bird food from Ebay, as I don't have to give my details every time, it's stored and done automatically.

For larger purchases, I tend to use my credit card (paid back every month) for the extra consumer protection it gives. My boss once booked a holiday with her debit card, the firm went bust - and she lost her money. If only she'd used her credit card, she would have been refunded.

For smaller stuff and supermarket deliveries, I use my debit card, though. I look at the web address when making a payment, just to check for a secure site sign e.g. https (the s indicates secure) and a padlock in the browser.

Fraud is mainly attempted on fake websites and through phishing emails rather than general buying online.

No, don’t open PayPal. They are fine until something goes wrong and then you cannot get hold of anyone to help. Credit cards are useful for anything over £100 then you have protection.

The safest way is to only use companies you know and trust eg Amazon, M&S, Sainsbury’s etc. Sadly with the current situation I’ve had to use other smaller companies and somehow I had fraud on my account. Luckily my bank spotted something and stopped my debit card and issued a new one.

It wouldn’t have mattered too much as I have two bank accounts and only use one for online transactions. I only keep £100-200 in this account and top it up as necessary so if anything does go wrong there’s very little to lose.

If you are using Amazon you can buy yourself a gift card on there and just top that up as required and remove any bank details afterwards.

Just my experience - hope that helps.

Thank you Esspee

I believe credit card is the safest. When Thomas Cook folded our bank had the airfare we had paid them back in our account within a week.