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The Chip Board Archive 12

NCR: foil identity theft; protect credit card #

I don't know if this was mentioned before here or how widely it is known, but I used for the first time yesterday Citibank's neat Virtual Account Numbers. It is very easy to use (I used the "launch" method), and it is free. They provide you with randomly selected special account numbers that can be used just once, on-line!

It solves this problem/worry: we often want to pay for something on line with our credit card, but we know nothing about the company that runs the web site and are afraid to type in our regular credit card number there. Citibank has solved the problem. First, you have to have a regular credit card with them. Then you go to their web site and register there with a user ID and password -- things you would ordinarily do with any credit card. When you want to pay for something on-line with your credit card, you can first go to your Citibank web site and get a special (unique) Virtual Account Number (a one-time randomly selected number) that you use for the on-line purchase. That virtual number may only be used once, so if a crook learns it, it is useless to him. For the next on-line purchase, you go to your Citibank web site for another Virtual number. Even though the Virtual Account Number is, of course, different than your regular credit card number, the charge will appear on your regular account statement. (And, of course, you don't have to use the Virtual numbers; you could type in your regular account number if you wish.)

Here are some links to Citibank and Virtual Account Numbers:
https://www.accountonline.com/View?docId=VanIndex&siteId=CB&OFR=EC_P_VANH_01051_01&ID=7AF2ABC0A20196BAC6FB20E93D059263&SESN=020714672005&LOCID=HEAD&GRPID=CBNA&SITEID=CB&PAGEID=10004&PID=004

http://www.citibank.com/us/cards/cardserv/advice/index.htm?ProspectID=54CE65A0E9C34DCDBDD2E205F07D049B

Robert

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NCR: foil identity theft; protect credit card #
Re: NCR: foil identity theft; protect credit card
easier to read post, here

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