Apply Online for a Credit Card: It's Safer than Ever

Apply Online for a Credit Card: It's Safer than Ever

by Edward Vegliante

Applying for a credit card has never been easier. Thanks to the Internet, you can look through a wide variety of credit cards, choose the right one, and fill out an application right away. With today's security features, you don't have to worry about your information falling into the wrong hands. Here's what companies are doing to make applying online for a credit card safer than ever.

Online Security Features

Protecting your privacy is essential for credit card websites and issuers. Secure credit card websites use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). This technology involves a complicated encryption program. It protects your information as it travels to the right place. SSL has been improved over the years; today's version makes it virtually impossible for the information to be intercepted.

To check for SSL, look carefully at your online credit card application page. The site's web address on the top of the page should begin with the letters https (as opposed to http ' the s indicates the security measures). Also, you should see a closed padlock on the screen. Many websites offer detailed information on their security plan. Click on the padlock or appropriate link to learn more about their safety features.

In many ways, it's actually safer to send in a credit card application through the Internet rather than the postal mail. Consider this: your personal data travels through cyberspace at lightning-speed. It lands, safely, in its appropriate destination in less than a second. If you send an application through the postal mail, it travels for days between places. Numerous hands handle the envelope. Every time it gets passed on, there are chances for identity theft or fraud to occur. For these reasons, you might be better off with an online credit card application.

Additional Online Benefits

Besides being safe, you'll enjoy other benefits when you apply online for a credit card. First, you'll have the chance to view many different offers. Credit card websites are organized into categories such as "low interest," "balance transfer," and "rewards." All you need to do is click on the type of card you're interested in and the various options will appear. You'll be able to see different credit cards right next to each other, making it easy to compare their features.

For many credit cards, after you send in the application, you'll get an email response. You'll know within minutes whether or not you've been approved. This is much faster than waiting weeks for the postal mail to arrive. It also lets you start planning how you'll use the credit card right away.

Filling out an application is just the beginning of what you can do online with your new credit card. You can sign up to receive your statements online. You'll also have the option of accessing your account online. Making payments, checking your balance, and redeeming your rewards can all be done with a few simple clicks of the mouse.

Applying online for a credit card is another convenient tool of today's society. With the safety features credit card sites use, you won't have to worry about your application falling into the wrong hands. And once the card is in your wallet, you can continue to manage the account through the Internet. It's safe, fast, and convenient.