is it safe to have credit card

Philippines
March 18, 2011 1:01am CST
Hi I'm from the Philippines, I've been working for a long time but I have not experience using credit card, I just wanna ask some advice from those using credit card. I want to use one but I' am afraid that I would experience my friend does, he was charge more than a hundred thousand which was she never spent those money that has been charge to her.. it tell to the statement that she went to Hongkong. Even she doesn't. Today I was thinking if it is advisable to have one specially I am doing online job and they required a credit card for the pay pal account. I need some advice from you pal.
12 responses
@emgee595 (335)
• Philippines
24 Mar 11
Hi there! I think it is still safe to have a credit card nowadays but if you have one you should be extra careful in ensuring that your account is secured and you must always keep your card and its details secured. I was going through my "papers" yesterday and I found a small pamphlet inserted in my credit card bill. It says "Credit Card Care Tips - How to use your credit card smartly." I think I might as well share the tips written on it. You might find some helpful tips. Note: the pamphlet was given by the Credit Card Association from our country. Here's some of the tips: "1.Keep a record or memorize your credit card number and your issuing bank's contact details which can be found at the back of your credit card. 2. If you are issued a PIN (Personal Identification Number) for ATM Cash Advance Transactions, memorize it and destroy the mailer on which it was sent to you. Never change your PIN to combinations that could easily be identified such as your birthday. 3. Keep a copy of your transaction receipt so you can match them against your monthly statement of account. Report any charges that you do not recognize immediately or within the designated timeline stated in your statement of account. 4. Never share your credit card details and PIN to any person. Transactions that use your credit card number and PIN may be charged to you. 5. Notify your issuing bank of any changes in your contact details and address. 6. Personally hand over your credit card to the cashier when paying for transactions. 7. Always make sure the amount on the transaction slip is the actual amount of your purchase before you sign. Never sign a blank transaction slip. 8. Make sure to secure your credit while shopping. If your card gets lost, immediately call your issuing bank to avoid paying fraudulent transactions. 9. To ensure that you are not logged to a spoofed website, check that the URL address starts with "https". Moreover there should be a padlock icon located at the lower right portion of the webpage to indicate that it is a secured website. 10. Your issuing bank will never call you to ask for your credit card or your account information. Should you receive such call or letters, always call your issuing bank on the number at the back of your card for verification. (Note: most issuing banks have toll free numbers written at the back of the card) 11. Endorse or sign all credit cards as soon as they are received from the bank. 12. Keep a list of your credit card numbers and the card company's call center/emergency hotline numbers in case of disputes, questions, or to report a lost or stolen card. 13. Never allow the use of your credit card as reference (credit card number) or as an identification card. 14. Take note whether your card is held for more than the regular time. Be alert when it is not returned to you after an unusually long period. 15. Keep your credit cards in a secure place. That's the fifteen tips written in the pamphlet. I might as well add: 1. Be careful in throwing your credit card bills. Make sure the details in it will not be used by "malicious" strangers. 2. Be extra careful when divulging the three-digit number written at the back of the card. Normally, those 3-digit numbers are asked when making online transactions like booking an airline ticket or during online shopping or purchases. So always make sure that you are making transactions in a secured website. 3. To avoid unnecessary interest, penalties, surcharges...make sure to pay the whole amount due ON TIME. 4. Never be shy to ask for reversals for annual fees. Goodluck and I hope you find useful and helpful tips here. Have good day and happy mylotting!
• Philippines
24 Mar 11
thank you so much emgee, this is a great help.
@fathom01 (171)
• Canada
18 Mar 11
Greetings melvelasco, How's the weather in the Philippines? Now, in regards to your question, I would not give up my credit card information unless it was a legit company. By legit I mean a company that owns a building I can walk into. If you give up your credit card information and they use it to buy things on it, you may not get your money back for the sole fact that you were the one to give your credit card information. That means you were okay with them charging you. I would not give it up to be honest. I think what happened to your friend is extremely unfortunate but why would someone have a credit so high? 100,000$ on a credit card is insane. It is easy to ask your bank to cap your credit card to something more reasonable like 10,000$, you can even ask them to cap what you can withdraw. In addition, you can tell your bank that you will only use your credit card in a certain city/country, and if it gets used elsewhere, you can have them block the transaction until you authorize it by phone. I hope I helped you a little bit with your dilemma. Kindest regards, fathom
• Philippines
18 Mar 11
hello fathom01 thanks a lot surely it is a great help you gave me an ideas to handle my credit card, I have been thinking almost 3 nights for this problem. by the way weather in the philippines so far is in good condition.
@ralphido (842)
• India
18 Mar 11
well... just make it a point to ask the salesman who will sell you the credit card to show his own card first...
• China
23 Mar 11
Yes it's safe to have credit card if you be careful. Don't share your credit card number ot password with anyone. Just keep secret then it will be safe. Credit card have so many facility that others don't have. Which some time help us from big problem as via credit card you can use some money which you can back later. So it's very helpful though i don't have any credit card as i am a student. But i will make one very soon as by credit card money transfer is very easy. So in my opinion have credit card is safe if you be careful. Have a good time!
@katie0 (5203)
• Japan
19 Mar 11
I don't have one but I knew people who had. I think having one means to be checking on it periodically because you know there is the danger of number theft and with that it's possible to buy with your credit card. It means a little more to worry really, only people who checked periodically in the credit cards could block it as soon they got stoled number or even the own card.
@n4l3hp (21)
• Philippines
18 Mar 11
If its only for your online job, get Unionbank's EON instead. Only P350 annual fee, can use with Paypal and you can use it to withdraw money from all ATM machines anywhere in the world that accepts the VISA cards.
• Philippines
18 Mar 11
Having a credit card requires a lot of discipline and control. In the Phililippines people are still not accustomed to using credit acrds and majority of us still uses cash for purchase. Our culture has not yet adapted that kind of transaction. If you plan to get one, it's okay just be sure taht you monitor every transaction and be up to date with the payment coz if not the interest will go up like crazy. If you're too scared to get one, you can always use Union bank's EON for your online transaction as advised by someone earlier.
@ashok1 (225)
• India
18 Mar 11
Sometimes problems comes but we dont always be afraid that everything we do there might be a problem.It is one in thousand and not always there.so leave your worries and start using your credit card.There are many ways where illegitimate activities can be tracked.
@cecil04 (409)
• South Africa
18 Mar 11
If you are going to use your credit card to verify your PayPal account there is no problem. PayPal is a very safe company you don't need to worry, they have been around for years. One of the reasons PayPal was created was to prevent fraud from happening to hard working people like you.
• Philippines
18 Mar 11
One should be responsible enough when one wants to have a credit card. You should not disclose any personal information related to your account to any entity that you feel is doing scam activities. Try to research first if the site can be trusted before you give your credit card number.
• India
18 Mar 11
Some times it will be some mistakes going on some credit cards. So what i am telling means i give u one advice about this credit card it is useful for us but dont put ur credit card for online jobs because they knows abut this credit card they will take lots of money to their account i think in online job for what u want is a pancard in this pan card while we are using this one through pay pal accounts that is not the matter for us. Using credit card is not the better way to buy or any programmes in online jobs dont do like that if u use the credit card for ur purpose not for the online jobs and u didnt give the ac numebr to them just what u do is get credit card but u doesn't use the credit card's through online jobs just pay for it ask them for their accounts and then pay this is the perfect thing while using credit cards to buy or anything it mightbe dont use like that u will be cheated finally.
@Ceandra (68)
• Singapore
18 Mar 11
This is a very simple question to answer. The answer is yes. If you own a credit card, it facilitates your expenditures, be it online or in real life. What is important would be to keep your NUMBERS safe. Do not give out your credit card numbers unnecessarily unless you have complete trust in the company you're paying for. If what I explained isn't clear enough, here is an example: It is the same as asking "Is it safe to own a wallet?" The answer is yes, of course. Provided that you make sure your wallet is in your hands, and you do not go around letting people 'touch' your wallet.