How to Shop With Virtual Credit Cards to Protect Your Privacy | WIRED

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How to Shop With Virtual Credit Cards to Protect Your Privacy

Keep your real credit card details to yourself by using virtual card services from Privacy, Revolut, and possibly even your current bank. Illustration: Eugene Mymrin/Getty Images Save Save

In the interests of privacy and security, the less information you give out about yourself, the better. You can hide your email addresses , you can hide your cell number , and as we’ll show you in this guide, you can hide your credit and debit card information too.

The idea is the same as it is with email addresses and phone numbers, in that you can construct a technological buffer between you and whoever you're dealing with. Companies don't get to see your actual card details, which keeps your information safe and protected in case of a data breach, but from your end the transactions go through as normal.

While you can think of these virtual cards as burner or temporary cards, there's actually more to them. Virtual cards give you more control over where and how they can be used, and you might want to set up multiple virtual cards for different purposes or different merchants. Use one for transportation expenses, for example, and one for all your online food delivery.

There can be fees attached, depending on how extensively you want to use your virtual cards, but in some cases they're free to use since the virtual card companies typically make money from the merchants, through credit or debit card fees. Read on to find out the benefits of virtual cards and how to set them up.

How Virtual Cards Work

Virtual cards work like standard cards but without the plastic.

Courtesy of Privacy

Sign up for a virtual card, and you get a whole new set of details: The main 16-digit card number, an expiration date, and a CVV (card verification value). These details can then be given to retailers online, while your actual information stays private. Then, with the help of the virtual card provider, your purchases and transactions go through as normal.

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As with an email alias, the merchants you're dealing with never see your real details. If your virtual card digits fall into the wrong hands or are abused in any way, you can simply delete them and start again. It's a lot like using a regular card but without the actual plastic and with the option to cancel it instantly at any time.

All of the heavy lifting behind the scenes is done by the virtual card provider. Clearly you need to pick a provider that you trust, as they'll be handling your financial information. Look for a provider that's well-known and widely used and which publishes information about its auditing and security processes. You may well be able to get a virtual card from your existing card provider or bank too.

You can usually set spending limits on each individual virtual card as further protection against fraudsters, so any unauthorized payments that breach this limit won't go through. In addition, it's usually possible to tie specific cards to specific vendors, so if your virtual digits do get exposed somehow, they can't be used anywhere else.

Get Started With Virtual Cards

Revolut gives you two types of virtual card to choose between.

Courtesy of Revolut

The process of signing up for a virtual card typically doesn't take long and can be done online in a few minutes, without any credit checks—you're not creating a whole new card, you're just linking to existing ones. If you're happy with your current bank or card provider, then that's a good place to start; see whether they offer virtual cards as a service.

Some of the better known virtual card providers include Privacy , which offers plenty of useful features (like spending limits) and gives you 12 new cards every month for free—beyond that, an account costs $10 per month. Sign-up can be completed in just a few minutes, and there are browser extensions you can use to fill in your virtual card information automatically when shopping online.

Another option is Revolut , which lets you choose between disposable, temporary cards and multiuse ones that you want to use more extensively. Pricing depends on whether you're signed up for Revolut's monthly subscription ($10 a month), but if you are you can create an unlimited number of cards for no extra charge. You can also link your virtual cards to Apple Pay or Google Pay.

While the process of signing up for a virtual card isn't completely frictionless, it's not far off—and no matter which provider you opt for, you can get started for free to see whether it suits your way of spending. There are certain restrictions in some scenarios, like international spending and issues where a physical card is required, but it’s generally a lot of extra peace of mind for not much effort—or cost.

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David Nield is a tech journalist from Manchester in the UK, who has been writing about apps and gadgets for more than two decades. You can follow him on X . Contributor Topics security tips how-to privacy online shopping Read More Save $15 This December With Our Visible Promo Code This holiday season, get a preowned phone and save $15 a month with our coupon code. Molly Higgins Save Up to 30% With Hotels.com Coupons and Deals in November 2024 Plan your next trip with Hotels.com and score up to 30% off with member-exclusive deals. Louryn Strampe Enjoy 10% Off With an eBay Coupon Code Get 10% off select products and enjoy other great deals at eBay this December. Molly Higgins Top Target Promo Codes for December 2024 Enjoy $50 off your next order with this Target coupon code and save with the latest deals and coupons this December. Molly Higgins Top Newegg Promo Codes for December 2024 Enjoy 10% off with this Newegg Discount Code and save with the latest Newegg coupons and deals for gaming pc’s, laptops and computer parts. Molly Higgins Oura’s New Perimenopause Report Shows the Gap in Women’s Health Research Most women don’t know what’s going to happen during perimenopause. Smart-ring manufacturers are stepping in to provide data and guidance. Adrienne So Every Feature You Should Use for Your WhatsApp Group Chats You can tame your group conversations if you know how to. David Nield Traveling to Japan? Here Are 8 Useful Apps for Getting Around Whether you plan to enjoy the nightlife in Tokyo, eat everything in Osaka, or explore the rural countryside, these apps will help you travel more easily in Japan. Reece Rogers How to Set Up ExpressVPN on a Router So All Your Devices Are Secured at Once Your VPN doesn t always have to run on your phone or laptop. You can guard everything in your home from prying eyes. David Nield Exclusive $50 Off With Our VistaPrint Coupon for December 2024 Whether you’re looking to get your holiday shopping done all in one place or you’re looking for personalized gifts for your small biz, you can save up to $50 off with our exclusive VistaPrint promo code. Molly Higgins You’re Packing Your Carry-On All Wrong. Here’s How to Do It Right What you shove into your suitcase determines how you’re going to live for the next little while. Assemble your payload correctly. David Pierce Save 87% at SurfShark, Even Without a Promo Code Find great deals for Surfshark, like 87% off the Starter Plan and a 30-day free trial, below. Scott Gilbertson WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business, science to design. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries.

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