Protecting your business’ credit card information should always be a priority. What to do, then, when it comes time to give your credit card information to a vendor?
In this article you will learn how to send credit card information securely, by looking at both the secure and non-secure ways to submit your credit card information to InsideOut Solutions.
Never Submit Credit Card Information via Email
Simply put: email is not a secure way to provide credit card information.
SSL on Email Won’t Protect Your Credit Card Info
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption only encrypts data that transfers between your email client and your domain mail server. If your email message needs to go to another server to reach a recipient them your message may be routed through many other servers, including those that are unencrypted, with the potential of that message being read.
Breaking up the Credit Card Information Across Two or More Emails Is Not “More Secure”
The idea that you can protect your information by breaking it up and sending it over multiple emails is an old one. Given that SSL encryption isn’t secure if it has to move from one server to another, there’s no reason to think putting the number in one message, the contact info in another, the card security code in a third, etc. will keep your information safe.
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If your email is intercepted as it moves from one server to another, you can be sure any attachments will be vulnerable.
File Attachments on an Email Are Not Secure
An electronic file such as a text file, etc. is not secure when attached to an email moving between mail servers.
A scanned document with credit card information can be read by a person or “read” in an automated process by Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
How to Send Credit Card Information Securely
So, which methods are secure and recommended when sending credit card information to InsideOut Solutions?
Fax Your Credit Card Information
The venerable fax, in commercial use since 1865, continues to be a secure way to send sensitive information. Whether it’s a multi-page contract or a one-sheet authorization with a cover letter, faxing credit card information to InsideOut Solutions is a secure option. Your fax is received at a secure location and access to faxed documents is only provided for the owners and authorized employees at InsideOut Solutions. Online fax services are OK, so long as they receive and send data securely.
Call Us to Provide Your Credit Card Information
When you call InsideOut Solutions with your credit card information it will only be collected by the owners or authorized employees at InsideOut Solutions, making this the easiest way to make a payment on services that do not require a contract. Even cell phone calls are OK, so long as you follow important mobile device security measures.
How Do You Want to Send Us Credit Card Information?
There are other methods for securely submitting credit card information the we do not currently use, but are in consideration for those clients who prefer to not use the above methods. Among these are:
Online Credit Card Authorization Form
Most internet users have submitted credit card information online via secure forms on websites and are comfortable with this metod.
Secure File Transfer Service
There are secure file transfer services such as Dropbox and SendThisFile that allow secure submission of sensitive data.
“Self-Destruct” Secure Share Website
There are also services that will set up websites that will automatically delete themselves after the sent message has been read such as PrivNote and DestructingMessage.com.
Let us know your preferred methods for sending credit card or other sensitive data. Just leave a comment or contact us today.
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