 TITLE: Is It Safe to Store My Credit Card Information Online? CONTENT: What to Consider When Keeping Your Credit Card Information Online\n-----------------------------------------------------------------\nBefore you store your credit card information online, there are a few downsides to consider:\n*   **Potential for fraud**: While some websites and services claim to store your credit card information safely, the company that stores your data still may be vulnerable to a data breach. Even with security measures in place, storing your credit card information online will put you at increased risk of your card information being stolen and criminals using it for fraudulent purchases. Manually entering your card information when you make a purchase reduces the chance of it being compromised.\n*   **Ease of spending**: For many, it's easier to swipe a credit card than it is to part with cold hard cash, and the same is true for online shopping. When your credit card information is entered automatically, there's less of a barrier to prevent impulse purchases. It might sound silly, but the extra step of grabbing your wallet and manually entering your card details might be enough to stop at least some of those spontaneous \"buy now\" purchases.\n*   **The kid factor**: If you have young children, they may love to keep themselves entertained with your laptop, tablet or phone. If your payment information is stored in an app or website, you run the risk of young fingers making purchases, whether by accident or on purpose. Kids may be dextrous enough to buy a new game or rent a movie, but not mature enough to understand the cost associated with doing so. Parental controls are an option, but may be inconvenient and aren't foolproof. To avoid this possibility, you might consider removing stored payment information altogether. END