On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 10:11:24 -0400, "Larry Smith"
wrote:


Y'all not taking debit card purchases any more?


Just an opinion here I feel compelled to sha I *never* use a debit
card for online purchases, or mail-order purchases either, since the
same computer system is generally used by the vendor for both, and
being a computer & network-security kind of guy, I must always assume
that any computer system that is not run by myself must be too easily
hackable to be trusted with my debit card account number. The only
place I ever use my debit card is at the one ATM machine at my bank. I
just consider it too risky to use freely elsewhere.

If some evildoer fraudulently uses your debit card number it may be
possible for them to suck large amounts of money out of your account
before anyone notices, and you may be liable for up to $500 of the
loss instead of $50 as with a credit card, unless you report the
unauthorized activity within two days.

I keep one dedicated credit card for use exclusively for online and
mail order purchases and use it for nothing else, and try to exercise
restraint in keeping the balance paid off every month.