Consumers using a debit card for an online payment should become familiar with the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which protects consumers from unauthorized/incorrect electronic fund transfers, incorrect receipts, and/or any bookkeeping errors in such transactions.
While the EFTA protects debit card transactions, credit cards fall under the purview of the Fair Credit Billing Act. Also known as the Truth in Lending Act, the FCBA limits the liability for unauthorized credit card transactions at $50. It’s meant to protect consumers from poor practices of the credit industry.
PayPal is one of the most popular online payment systems around, and it follows specific measures to keep users secure. Security keys remain optional but are recommended, as they are a two-step authentication with a different PIN for each login. Additionally, confirmation emails are always sent upon each transaction.
With the rise of financial technology, also known as “fintech,” people can use their phones for payment. Digital wallets and mobile payments—such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay—act as a fairly safe, convenient payment method. The mobile wallet user simply authorizes their debit or credit card for use on their smartphone when shopping online or at a point-of-sale.
Since the pandemic began, buy now, pay later programs—such as AfterPay, Affirm, and Klarna—have risen in popularity. Most of these require buyers to put down 25% of the total payment and pay the rest in three installments over six weeks. Best of all, there are no fees or interest charges.