Information Security

Credit Check — Advice for Online Purchases

Do you use credit cards for personal purchases? If so, you should have at least two cards — one for purchases made online or by telephone and a second card for every­thing else.

This advice comes from the Postal Service™ Corporate Information Security Office (CISO), which confirms the risk of a credit card being compromised is greater for online and telephone transactions. Using a separate credit card with a lower credit limit for these transactions reduces your exposure to potential fraud.

Credit cards designated for online and telephone trans­actions are helpful because:

n They aren’t tied directly to your bank account;

n If the card is compromised, the impact to your daily routine is reduced while waiting for a replacement card; and

n It’s easier to track online and telephone purchases.

According to CISO, this advisory does not apply to offi­cial business or travel-related purchases with USPS^® credit cards.

— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Officer, 6-26-14