You may want to think twice before doing so.
Amazon is an extremely popular way to shop -- in fact, Zippia research found that in 2021, Amazon accounted for 56.7% of all e-commerce sales in the U.S. That represented a net sales revenue of $469.82 billion. With numbers like this, it's a fair bet that many Amazon shoppers make heavy use of Amazon's "Buy Now" button. But using this feature means leaving your credit card saved on file in your Amazon account. Is this a good idea? Let's take a look at how you might spend more than you intend to -- or even fall victim to scammers.
Credit cards are a very safe form of payment
First things first: Credit cards themselves are generally the most secure way to pay for purchases, especially on the internet. Most notably, when you pay with a credit card, your own money in your bank account is not connected. Instead, you're using money borrowed from your credit card issuer via your line of credit, and then paying it back.
The best credit cards for online shopping add another layer of safety in the form of liability protection if someone uses your credit card to make unauthorized charges. If your card or its information is stolen, you will still have to take action to report the theft to your card issuer, but you will generally not be liable for any fraudulent charges made. Debit cards don't offer this level of protection, so it's generally better to opt for using a credit card when you're shopping online. Unfortunately, there are still some risks to keeping your credit card info stored on websites like Amazon.
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Risks of storing your credit card info on websites
Scammers and hackers are always innovating new ways to steal our financial data. While storing your card info on an e-commerce website makes it very easy for you to use, should that site suffer a security breach, your credit card info will also be available for scammers. While this sort of issue might seem unlikely with a big company like Amazon, it's been known to happen. For example, almost a decade ago, Target was compromised in a cyber attack that affected 41 million customers.
Other threats to your credit card are closer to home. We've all heard the funny viral stories on social media about how someone's young child ordered several thousand dollars' worth of items via an Amazon Alexa device or their parent's Amazon app. If you don't have credit card info stored on Amazon, those orders won't be fulfilled.
You might also want to build in some roadblocks for your own shopping habits if they tend to get you into trouble. Amazon has become many people's go-to for everyday purchases, but it sure is easy to order things you don't need and get a shock when you peek at your credit card statement. It might be a hassle to go find your wallet every time you want to restock your supply of paper towels, but it could save you from an impulse order of $20 worth of nonsense. Those silly orders can add up, after all.
There are a few things you can do to help ensure your credit card info is safe when you use it for online shopping. Consider the following:
- Don't shop on public wifi: Public wifi is, by definition, open to the public, and it's an easy target for hackers. Do your shopping at home on your own private (and password-protected) wifi network.
- Use strong passwords (and change them regularly): Even if Amazon itself doesn't fall victim to a security breach, your own account could be compromised if someone manages to get hold of your password.
- Rely on virtual card numbers: Some credit cards generate a virtual credit card number for use online. This keeps your real credit card information safe.
With all this in mind, you may want to delete your credit card info off Amazon. While it will be less convenient to shop if you have to track down your credit card every time you make a purchase, it is likely the safest choice.
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FAQs
Credit cards themselves are very secure, offering zero-liability fraud protection for cardholders. If you store your card info on Amazon, you could be leaving yourself open to scammers, hackers, or even just your own impulse shopping habits.
Is it safe to put credit card details in Amazon? ›
When you shop on Amazon, we take great care to protect your payment details and personal information. Our payment security system encrypts your payment details, such as credit card number, bank account number, and address.
Is it safe to add card to Amazon account? ›
You can check out with confidence anywhere that accepts Amazon Pay knowing your transaction is protected by state-of-the-art encryption — and your data is safe. Amazon doesn't share your full credit card, debit card, or bank account number with sites or charitable organizations that accept Amazon Pay.
How do I protect my credit card on Amazon? ›
3D Secure (3DS) adds a layer of authentication on top of the CVV code commonly used to prevent payment card fraud. Customers who use a 3D Secure-enrolled card perform an additional verification step during the payment process.
What is the safest way to pay on Amazon? ›
Amazon Pay is the way to check out quickly and securely online, and your eligible purchases of physical goods are protected by our A-to-z Guarantee.
Can I trust Amazon with my card? ›
Amazon follows the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) when handling card data, safeguarding the privacy and security of users' payment and transaction information.
Is it safe to leave my credit card on Amazon? ›
Credit cards themselves are very secure, offering zero-liability fraud protection for cardholders. If you store your card info on Amazon, you could be leaving yourself open to scammers, hackers, or even just your own impulse shopping habits.
Do I have to keep a credit card on file with Amazon? ›
Having a valid credit card on file is also required for your bank account to receive disbursem*nts.
Does Amazon share your credit card information? ›
We don't share your full credit card, debit card, or bank account number with merchants or charitable organizations who accept Amazon Pay. However, we do share your full card or bank account number with payment service providers to process the transaction on behalf of the merchant.
Is Amazon a secure website? ›
Amazon is an overall safe platform, but scammers still try to exploit it for their gains. Various Amazon scams exist ranging from phishing emails with malicious links to fake gift cards or simply not delivering goods you purchased.
Select Edit under the card name. You can update your billing address, select a default card, update card details or remove the card from your account. Select Remove from wallet to remove the card from your account.
Does Amazon save your CVV? ›
CVV cannot contractually be stored, however, so Amazon does not use this value for subsequent transactions.
Is it safe to save card details? ›
No, it is not safe to store your credit card information online, including on merchant websites or web browsers. The only way to ensure your credit card information is stored safely is if you keep it in an encrypted vault.
Are my credit card details safe on Amazon? ›
One reason for that is because Amazon uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software to encrypt your credit card number, making your number impossible to read without two "keys" to decode the encryption -- which anyone intent on stealing your info won't have.
Is Amazon 100% safe? ›
We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards in connection with the collection, storage and disclosure of personally identifiable customer information. As per our security procedures, we may occasionally request proof of identity before we disclose personal information to you.
Is it safe to link a bank account to Amazon? ›
Amazon never records your credentials in any database, cookie, or browser session. We simply pass your credentials through to your bank to verify the account.
Is it safe to give a CVV number to Amazon? ›
Only your card number will be stored so that you do not have to enter it every time you make a purchase using the same card. They ask for your CVV number every time you place an order. If they ask for it and you do not supply it, the purchase transaction will not be completed. It is safe.
Is Amazon safe for online payments? ›
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Are Amazon transactions secure? ›
Amazon Payment Services protects you and your customers using sophisticated anti-fraud measures that automatically evaluate transactions in real-time to detect fraudulent behavior. We offer two tiers of fraud protection service.
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