Question:Oh, no, I forgot to pay a bill before taking off on my trip. What’s the safest way for me to access an account with sensitive personal information whiletraveling?
Answer:It's easy to forget to pay a bill while you're scrambling to get out the door, and no one wants to get hit with a late fee after a trip.
Fortunately, there are a few fairly safe ways topay that bill — even if you don't have a virtual private network (VPN):
- Use a secure Wi-Fi network. Are you staying with a friend or relative witha secure Wi-Fi network protected by a strong password? Use their Wi-Fi toconnect and pay online.
- Pay by phone. You can go "old school" and pay by phone. Use a credit card, rather than a debit card if you can. Credit cards have fraud protections and don't offer direct access to your money.
- Use your smartphone. You can turn off Wi-Fi and use your data plan to log into your account on your phone to pay the bill. Or, use your phone's Wi-Fi hotspot to connect to the internet using your laptop or tablet.
These options aren't perfect, but they're safer than using public Wi-Fi. For added security, make sure you set up two-factor authentication on your account, so a thief can't access it with your password alone. And change your account passwords when you get back home.
If you don't feel 100 percent safe, you could call the company, ask them to waive your late fee, and pay when you get home.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about billpaying
Still have questionsabout paying bills online and keeping your money safe while traveling? Here'shelp:
What is the best way to pay your bills eachmonth?
The best way to pay your bills each month is to use a credit cardthat you pay off in full each month. Credit cards offer convenience, rewards, androbust consumer protections. For example, most credit cards have zero liabilityfor fraud or unauthorized purchases, meaning you pay nothing out of pocket. AndU.S. federallaw caps your liability at $50. If you have credit problems or trouble paying your creditcard in full each month, your bank's online bill pay service offers anothergood way to pay your bills securely.
How do you pay bills when traveling?
You can pay bills online while traveling if you have access to asecure Wi-Fi network, such as at a friend or relative's home. You can also paybills securely by phone with a credit card while traveling. Finally, you canpay online using your data on your mobile phone rather than Wi-Fi to connect tothe internet.
How can you pay bills online with your bankaccount?
There are two ways you can use your bank account to pay billsonline: by using your bank's online bill pay service or by setting up anagreement with a service provider to allow them to withdraw money from yourbank account. It's generally safer to use your bank's online bill pay becauseyou have more control over the payment process. You set the amount and date ofpayment rather than allowing the service provider to take the money from yourbank account on their terms.
Is it safer to pay bills by phone oronline?
If you have access to a secure Wi-Fi network, it may be slightlysafer to pay bills online. When you pay by phone, you usually have to providean agent with information such as your name, your credit card number and thesecure code on your card. You can make paying by phone safer by making sure youcall to the correct number to initiate the payment, use a credit card ratherthan a debit card, and double check the amount of the payment. Finally, loginto your credit card account to make sure the payment went through correctly.
What is the most secure way to pay bills?
The most secure way to pay bills is to pay online using a secureWi-Fi network and a credit card. You're protected by the encryption and strongpassword on your network as well as by all the consumer protections availableon a credit card. If you want an extra layer of security, consider using avirtual credit card number. This is a unique credit card number that is linkedto your credit card but can only be used once or for a certain amount. Contactyour credit card issuer to ask how to get a virtual card number.
Where can I hide large amounts of cash?
Your bank is the only truly secure place to keep large amounts ofcash. However, if you want to keep an emergency stash of cash at home, considergetting a fireproof, waterproof safe. There are plenty of clever ideas on whereto hide money at home, from inside a toilet paper roll to in a fake mayo jar inthe fridge to under a stair tread, but use these ideas at your own risk.
Where do you hide money while traveling?
When you're traveling, it's best to use a credit card as much aspossible and make regular stops at an ATM to withdraw only the amount of cashyou need for a day or two at most. That way you can minimize your losses if youaccidentally leave your bag on the subway or get your wallet stolen. Whileyou're out and about, consider using a money belt that looks like a real beltor keeping a few small bills in your wallet and stashing the rest of your cashin a safe spot such as an interior coat packet that zips.
Is it safe to pay bills on an iPhone orAndroid?
You can pay bills online safely on your smartphone by making sureyou're not connected to Wi-Fi and instead using your cell data to connect tothe internet. This allows you to pay by phone safely when you're out and aboutand don't have access to a secure Wi-Fi network.
Is it safe to pay bills online with Wi-Fi?
It's safe to pay bills online with Wi-Fi as long as you use asecure Wi-Fi network that uses the latest encryption technology and isprotected by a strong password. Never pay your bills from public Wi-Fi such asthe Wi-Fi you can access from an airport, a coffee shop, or hotel. This type ofnetwork can leave you vulnerable to hackers who could steal your financialinformation.
What is the safest method of payment forpaying bills?
The safest method of payment for paying bills is to use a creditcard. That's because a credit card number does not give anyone a way to getaccess to your cash. With a credit card number, they can make a charge on youraccount. But credit cards offer strong protections from fraud and unauthorizedcharges.
What is the least secure form of paymentfor paying bills?
Your debit card is the least secure form of payment for payingbills. Debit cards allow direct access to the funds in your bank account andoffer fewer protections from fraud and unauthorized charges compared withcredit cards. If a fraudster does steal money from your account, you may haveto jump through hoops and wait weeks or longer to get your cash back while thebank investigates. Paper checks are also a less secure method of payment sincethey contain your bank account number and other private information.
The freedom to connect more securely to Wi-Fi anywhere
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- Allie Johnson
- Freelance Writer
Allie Johnson is a freelance journalist who covers cybersecurity, privacy, and consumer topics. She has written for Bankrate, CreditCards.com, and Discover.
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