Security is of the utmost importance. Of course, it’s understandable that certain adult-oriented services online call for even greater discretion. Things like paid phone sex chat lines, subscription video sex chat services and all types of paid porn. 

Not only do you not want your private payment information falling into the wrong hands, you’d probably also like to keep your purchases as private as possible.

Unfortunately, research suggests that online payment fraud is on the up. Not usually surprising, given the fact that more people than ever before are paying for products and services online.

Some estimates suggest that up to 70% of all instances of credit and debit card fraud take the form of card not present (CNP) transactions. It’s surprisingly easy for fraudsters to use other people’s information for their own financial gain, so it’s best to do everything you can to keep it out of their hands.

Eight Tips for Safe Online Payments

Truth is, each of the following tips applies just as much to regular online payments as it does for paid adult entertainment. Adopt a proactive approach when making payments online and staying safe can be comparatively simple. 

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Use Advanced Anti-Malware Software

This is essential for keeping an eye on potential vulnerabilities on your system.  Without anti-malware software, you’ve no idea who could be watching and tracking literally everything you do on your computer. A scary thought, but something that happens routinely and can have catastrophic consequences for those affected. Hence, premium quality anti-malware software is an absolute must.

1. Check the Site’s Credentials and Reputation

Prior to making a payment, always check what the general consensus is regarding the service provider in question.  If there’s a disproportionate volume of negative feedback, stay away. If there are any apparent security issues or discretion isn’t their priority, take your business elsewhere. There’s no shortage of options to choose from, so don’t take chances on an unknown.

1. Use Online Wallet Payments

Online wallets (like PayPal in particular) are just about as safe and secure as it gets. If anything goes wrong, companies like PayPal almost always side with the customer. It’s also exponentially more difficult for fraudsters to do their bidding with a victim’s PayPal accounts, compared to an everyday credit or debit card.

1. Keep An Eye on Your Statements

Whichever payment method you choose, it’s important to keep an eye on your statements and note for any irregularities. This is really the only way of knowing whether something nefarious is going on behind the scenes. Far better than waiting until fraudsters have completely drained your account, it makes sense to detect and address any potential issues early on. 

1. Avoid Bank Wire Transfers

A bank wire transfer in its own right can be relatively secure. However, it’s a payment method with little to no comeback, should the recipient decide to disappear with your money. Or perhaps, claim they never received it and refuse to provide the services you paid for.  Bank wire transfers are a little like ‘virtual’ cash payment, therefore should be approached and performed with care.

1. Do Not Use Public Networks or Computers

Paying for anything on a public network or shared computer is as good as leaving your wallet wide open in full view. Anyone wishing to do so could easily watch and log your every move, having planted malware on the computer or be monitoring the network at the time. It’s best to assume that all public networks and shared computers have been compromised in terms of security.  For the simple reason that there’s a good chance they have been! 

1. Set Better Passwords

Ultimately, the only thing standing between the fraudster and access to your online accounts (including your adult subscriptions) is your passwords. In which case, it’s probably time to start taking password security seriously. You probably already know the difference between a strong password and a weak password, so you won’t need reminding. Just be mindful of what might happen if anyone manages to hack their way into your accounts – adult entertainment subscriptions included. 

1. Subtle and Discreet Statement Entries

Last but not least, you’ll also want to check in advance that the payments you make are logged on your statements as discreetly as possible. Something the vast majority of providers do, but not always the case. There’s no shame in paying for adult entertainment site subscriptions, but still – keeping things quiet is the preferred option for most.