Credit Card Frauds and What You Can Do to Avoid Them
As of 2021, the most common payment method out of all the fraud reports in the US was credit cards. In 2020, when the world was battling COVID-19, there were a total of 459,297 cases of such fraud. Most of these fraud victims were between the ages of 30 and 39, the target demographic for credit card issuers. As a result, theft by credit card fraud increased by almost 45% compared to 2019.
Credit card fraud is one of the biggest threats today’s eCommerce industry faces. No one’s bank account is entirely safe from these perils, from credit card theft to credit card data breaches.
A card issuer does their best to stop offline and online transactions from a stolen credit card whenever they suspect fraud. It’s also possible to recover funds from credit card fraud via a funds recovery company. These companies can easily back you up as long as you have sufficient evidence. However, you to be vigilant as well regarding this issue. So, here are a few things you can do to avoid credit card fraud.
Never Save Your Credit Card Details
In 2021, Google sent millions of users a chilling email when it told them their passwords had been compromised. The data breach exposed millions of users’ saved login and payment credentials.
You often save your credit card information on various websites. The purpose is that you don’t have to re-enter the same details the next time you want to buy something from them. However, hackers can access your information when they manage to breach the website’s security measures. As a result, your credit card information is no longer safe. It might already be too late by the time you get to know it.
Scan Your Computer and Phone for Virus and Malware
The number of online transactions reaches the million mark almost every day. Most of these are credit card transactions, where people are buying stuff online. Since you’re either using your mobile or PC for this, you must make sure no one is snooping on you and your credit card information.
Scan your PC and smartphone for viruses and malware. Hackers and scammers can access confidential information on your devices by planting a backdoor. At the same time, you should be careful while installing third-party software on your devices.
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Use Stronger and More Secure Security Measures
Not saving your login credentials and credit card information will go a long way in protecting you from fraud. However, you can still do more to protect yourself from credit card fraud.
Using a secure password should be your priority. Use a mix of alphabets, symbols, and special characters to compose the password. Never use guessable passwords like your birthdate or pet name.
Look into other ways of securing your devices. Biometric authentication is a highly efficient way of doing so. After all, it won’t be easy to replicate your eyes, face, or fingerprints.
Don’t Use Your Credit Card On an Insecure Website
Never purchase anything using your credit card on a website without an SSL certificate. The SSL certification verifies that the website encrypts sensitive information passed between the user and the server. No SSL certificate means that anyone can snoop on that information. When you wish to install an SSL certificate make sure it is from a reputed CA like RapidSSL, GlobalSign, DigiCert, etc. A few well-known certs are popular among developers including RapidSSL wildcard Certificate for subdomains, comodo multi domain SSL, and Thawte SSL for a single domain. A site owner can choose as per the site’s requirements.
When using your credit card online, you send your card number and security pin to the receiver’s server. Anyone with the right tools and brains can snoop on these exchanges and steal your credit card information. That is even worse than when someone steals your credit card. With credit card theft, you’ll at least know that someone stole it. There’s no easy way to tell if someone stole your credit card information during the transaction process.
Be Careful While Using Your Card
When using your credit card, keep the following points in mind.
- Make sure the card reader at the ATM is not loose.
- Cover your pin as you enter it into the machine.
- Never let anyone use your credit card. At the same time, never tell your credit card pin to those at the payment terminal or counter of the store.
- Immediately call your card issuer and block the card if you lose it.
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Be Aware of Unauthorized Transactions
Always keep your credit card bills in check. When you spot an unauthorized or suspicious transaction, notify the credit card company. Don’t risk keeping your card active at that stage.
Your credit card issuer will also notify you when it sees that you’re trying to make a transaction to a suspicious or blacklisted website. Listen to their reasons for the notification and possible transaction block. Avoid using your credit card on those sites if possible.
Credit card fraud will continue as long as people are not careful about how they use it. So, your best bet to avoid these frauds is to ensure you stay extra cautious all the time.
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Top 7 Fast Way To Earn Money On The Internet
There are many reasons why one day you have decided to search for opportunities to earn some money on the Internet. It could be an insufficient payment for the regular job, the necessity to pay a credit or buy Christmas presents, or just an idea to move from office work to online work. Even though, recently, many jobs have had an opportunity to work from home, after the pandemic years, many businesses have returned to standard work organization. But if you work online, you receive plenty of advantages, such as safe time and money for traveling to work and spending more time with your family, in other words - the possibility of improving your work and life balance. In this article, we tried to summarize the top 7 fast ways to earn money on the Internet. We want to assure you that this list we created is based on our personal experience. Participate In Paid Surveys It isn't very easy to earn a significant amount of money in this way, but it is a very easy option and does not require significant time. The more reliable option is to register on the survey website (for example, Survey Monkey, Survio, or Census Bureau) and create a profile with detailed information about yourself. You may choose the survey you want to participate in based on your preferences or rewards; some surveys have to be done within strict time frames. Do not forget to keep track of your surveys to be sure that you have been paid properly. Create A Dropshipping Store Dropshipping is another simple way to earn money online; you can start without any investment and achieve significant profit. Dropshipper is a creator of a dropshipping store (on a separate website or existing marketplaces, such as eBay), where he takes orders from Clients and sends them to the Suppliers. The responsibility for product quality and delivery is on the Supplier (normally, manufacturer or wholesale Supplier). Dropshippers should find reliable suppliers with good product prices as the drop-shipper has the margin of sales and the supplier price. Currently, you can automate dropshipping for almost every process. There are special apps for searching suppliers, bestselling products, designing online stores, preparing product cards, order fulfillment, delivery, and even communication with Clients. Become An Author Of The Paid Reviews, Articles If you have experience in writing professional articles on different subjects, you need to register on a platform that is the subject of your interest (Upwork, Copyhackers, FreelanceMom, Writers Weekly, Fiverr). You may be a copywriter, help an SEO team improve traffic for a website, or write ads or reviews. There is also the possibility of applying for a freelance job in a writing agency. The more money you earn for unique content with professional information. Unfortunately, websites can reject your article, but you can find another buyer. Create An Account On Youtube, Instagram, Tiktok Social networks become the working place for thousands of people worldwide. You can create an account regarding any topic (traveling, photos, family, relationships, carving, dogs, or many more). Your content can include streams, short videos, posts, and photos. Unfortunately, you need at least 1000 subscribers to start payment ads. But if you have something to sell, one hundred subscribers are a good start. To gain subscribers, you need to create unique content and promote your account with free tools. You can start receiving money after a month or two, but you need to spend a lot of time on this work. Read Also: What Is A Sole Proprietorship? – Let’s Find Out Become A Tutor For teachers, students, or highly educated professionals, the tutor job is a nice opportunity to earn money online. In the USA, more than 120.000 tutors already have their businesses. There are some platforms for tutors (for example, Titor.com, TutorMe, and Varsity Tutors) where you can find students for learning languages, mathematics, natural sciences, economics, literature, IT, and music. You can also apply for a job in the online school. Anyway, you need not only to teach something new, but additionally, you have to create lesson plans, monitor students’ progress, prepare tests, check homework, and report achievements to parents. If you have teaching experience, you will easily find students online; in other ways, you need to obtain some positive reviews from friends or start volunteer tutoring for some time. Test Websites Or Apps For tech geeks or others interested in IT, another opportunity is to test websites and apps. You have to be older than 18 years old to participate in these testing activities. You can be paid for each test, find bugs and hours of testing, or share your experience about using websites. We recommend passing some education on how to test websites properly in academics. If you are a gamer, you can participate in paid or free game testing. There are also some testing platforms (such as UserTesting.com), but you may gain some experience on GitHub and participate in communities there. Become A Freelancer Small companies or bloggers usually search for freelancers with one-time jobs or regular activities for graphic design, video editing, web development, SMM, copywriting, administration, etc. The potential for this niche is unlimited so the profit can be extremely high. You only need to advertise yourself on specialized platforms (Behance, Designhill, PeoplePerHour, Upwork, and many more) with your best qualities and skills, prepare a portfolio, and start to collect all positive reviews. You need to propose only high-quality work as there is a huge competition among freelancers. Do not forget to track time and money. Conclusion As you see, there are multiple legitimate ways to earn money online without significant experience and investments. You can combine several ways to earn more. For example, you can become a YouTube blogger who tests IT products; for that, you need to be able to communicate with the audience in an existing and special way and provide reliable information about review products. Another combo is to create a dropshipping store and find new customers by promoting it on social networks and placing guest posts. Bloggers can record almost all professional activities, including tutoring, for example. So, no matter your background, you can start a new online job every day. But do not forget to legalize your business, receive all permissions, and pay taxes. Read Also: Micro vs Macro Economics: What’s The Difference? Vertical vs Horizontal Integration: What Are The Key Differences? What Is A Holding Company? – Importance, Operation, And Pros & Cons
Jan 09, 2024
Pro Rata: Definition, Uses, And How To Calculate It?
Pro Rata is a Latin term that means “proportionally.” In business, pro rata is a fair and equitable distribution method. With the use of this method, each concerned party receives a share that is proportional to their entitlement and contribution. This ensures that there is fairness in the company’s distribution process. Based on a party’s proportionate participation in business, the pro rata is used to calculate the reimbursement amount. In this article, you will mainly learn about what is pro rata in business and how to calculate pro rata distribution using the formula. You will also learn about the ways in which pro rata works for businesses and how this formula helps in distributing reimbursements for participation. Finally, we will share with you the major uses of the pro rata distribution formula. Hence, to find out more, read on through to the end of the article. What Is Pro Rata? According to Wall Street Mojo, “This method is especially useful for calculating gains and payments for short-term or partial periods. In addition, it can be applied in various scenarios where proportionate distribution is necessary, including computing hourly wages, expenses, investment profits, and other liabilities.” If the company gives out something on a pro-rata basis, it will basically be assigning the amount or reimbursement to one person as per their share out of the whole amount. This type of calculation has a variety of applications in business finance, as it can be used to evaluate the appropriate portions of any amount of capital. How To Calculate Pro Rata? - Formula Here is how you can calculate pro rata distribution for any given amount: Pro Rate Share = Number of “True” Items in place / Maximum Quantity Possible Therefore, Pro Rata Distribution = Pro Rata Share x Quantity of Related Item To effectively use the formula, here are the things you can do: 1. Gather Necessary Data If you want to calculate pro rata, you will mainly need to gather three data points - the number of “true” items in place, the maximum quality of total items, and the quality of related items. Consider a situation where a tenant pays rent for 15 days in October. Hence, the number of “true” items in the rent is 15. However, the maximum quantity of total items amounts to 30 (the number of days in September). The quantity of related items, in this case, is $600, which is nothing but the monthly payment of rent. 2. Calculate Pro Rata Share To calculate the pro rata share, you will have to divide the number of “true” items in place by the maximum quantity of total items. Using the same example as above, you will need to calculate 15/30 (for the month of September), and you will get 50%. This percentage is the portion of rent that the tenant owes to the landlord. 3. Calculate Pro Rata Distribution To calculate pro rata distribution, you will need to multiply the pro rata share with the quantity of related items. In the example, the pro rata share came out to be 50%, and the quantity of related items is the monthly rent’s monetary value, which is $600. Once you multiply both, you get 50% of $600, that is $300. This is the amount of the rent that the tenant owes to the landlord. How Does Pro Rata Work? According to Investopedia, “Pro rata calculations can be used in many areas, including determining dividend payments, which are cash payments by corporations paid to shareholders. In insurance, pro rata is used to determine the amount of premium due for a policy that only covers a partial term. Allocating the appropriate portion of an annual interest rate to a shorter time frame can also be done via pro rata.” Basically, you can evaluate the proportionate allocation of a fixed amount. If you know how to calculate this figure, you can easily solve issues related to the payment of dividends. Apart from that, it will be helpful for you to determine insurance premiums or calculate part-time salaries. It can help you to determine fair distribution of a fixed amount in hand. When To Use Pro Rata? According to Indeed.com, “Pro rata is practical for business purposes regarding expenses, revenue allocation, capital and other financial scenarios that involve giving or receiving money from one individual or entity. Businesses use pro rata to ensure they accurately and fairly analyze and distribute financial figures. Businesses may also use pro rata when calculating the salary of a part-time employee.” The following are the major uses of pro rata distribution in business processes: Businesses use the pro rata method to pay out dividends or cash payments to shareholders in the organization. It helps to allocate the right portion of yearly interest in case the time range is less than one year. The system also helps to discern the total amount of an insurance policy premium after paying for a partial insurance term. It also helps to calculate the salary of a part-time employee as compared to what that employee would make with a full-time salary. You can also divide certain expenses of businesses among a certain number of stakeholders within a set period of time. The system helps to calculate loan payments on a monthly basis as compared to annual payments. Based on the work and needs of different departments, you can plan a project budget to incorporate expenses. Wrapping Up Pro Rata means everyone gets their fair share - everyone gets their share as per the input they have put into the work. It basically works in sharing dividends with investors based on the proportion that they have invested in the business. This technique has applications in many areas, from billing for services to allocating business partnership income. You can calculate the pro rata amount of an item by dividing the instance of that item by the maximum quantity of that item. You can then apply the ratio to any related item to find the same proportion. Do you have any more to add regarding the application of the pro rata system? Share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comments section below. Read Also: What Is An Angel Investor, And How Does Angel Investing Work? What Is A Venture Capitalist, And What Are Their Functions? 10 Must-Have Entrepreneurial Characteristics
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StashFin Personal Loan Review – Interest Rates, Loan Amount, Eligibility, And More
StashFin offers instant personal loans at interest rates of 11.99%, with loan amounts reaching up to 5 lakhs INR. The loan offers are available for up to 4 years of time. The best part is that you can get an instant personal loan as fast as 4 hours of time. Only minimal documentation is required to get a loan. However, these factors are applicable when you are eligible for the loan. In this article, you will get to know about StashFin personal loans and the variety of necessary details about the loan provider. The details will include the rates of interest, eligibility, and other important information related to loan offerings by the company. Finally, we will give you some details of customer reviews which can be helpful for you to get a better idea of StashFin. Hence, to get a full idea of the loan offerings of this company, read on through to the end of the article. StashFin – What Do They Offer? StashFin is a platform that offers personal loans to salaried and self-employed individuals. You can apply for loans both through the website and also the StashFin personal loan app. The types of loans offered by StashFin include Marriage loans, Cash loans, Small loans, Medical loans, Travel Loans, Home Renovation loans, Shopping loans, Personal loans, and Debt Consolidation loans. Loan AspectsWhat StashFin Offers You?Loan AmountUp to INR ₹ 10 lakhLoan TenureIt can be up to 4 years, depending upon eligibility and the loan amount.Rate of Interest On Loans11.99% – 59.99% p.a. (per year) depending on the type of loan borrowed.Loan Processing FeesProcessing fees depend upon the loan amount. However, it can extend up to 10% (excluding GST) of the amount on each loan.- 0% – 10%, excluding GST (Borrowers should pay a processing fee on the withdrawn amount every time they load their StashFin Card using the StashFin App).Collateral or MortgageDepends on the type of loan applied for.Bounce Charges₹ 500 on every bounced cheque, NACH, or failed EMI payment.Loan Review TimeIt can be as less as 4 hours.Late Payment Of The LoanA loan default or a late payment will not allow a borrower to redeem rewards.Loan RepaymentThe repayment period is up to 36 months. All loan payments are made through EMIs via electronic payments. Read More: GGP Share Price Forecast: Everything You Should Know How To Apply For A Loan From StashFin? If you want to apply for StashFin loans, you will just need to download the official app or visit the website and hit the "Apply Now" button. Once you click the button, you will get to a page where you will need to enter your name, mobile number, pin code, and PAN. Later, you will need to fill up a form and provide all your proofs. Once your documents and your credit record are verified, you can get a loan as quickly as 4 hours. StashFin – What Is The Loan Eligibility? The following are the major eligibility requirements that a borrower needs to comply with to avail of loans from StashFin: Loan RequirementsEligibilityAge of the borrowerMinimum 18 yearsStashFin credit scoreA better credit score (that is, above 750 for CIBIL TransUnion) can help a loan applicant to avail of personal loans at lower rates of interest.Type of EmploymentSalaried or self-employed.Minimum monthly income₹ 15,000 per monthWork ExperienceDepends on the type of loan applied for.Required DocumentsFor Salaried- ID proof – PAN Card- Address Proof – Aadhaar Card- Copy of a cheque for the salary bank account- Salary slips for the last 3 months- Bank statements for the last 6 months For Self-Employed- Income Tax returns- GST Returns- Proof of business ownership and continuity- Bank statements for the last 6 months- Audited financial statements for the last 2 years- Office address proof Read More: PooCoin Stock Forecast: Everything You Should Know StashFin – Top Customer Reviews The following are some of the top customers reviews that we have found from some of the famous review platforms on the internet. Hope these customer reviews can be helpful for you to get a better idea of the services and loan offerings of StashFin: Source Source Source Summing Up Hope this article was helpful for you to get an understanding of the offerings of StashFin. The company offers loans at reasonably good interest rates in return for their services and loan amounts. If you are a small-wage earner and in need of a loan, you can borrow loans easily from StashFin. We did not find many negative reviews on StashFin. However, it is also recommended to read the negative reviews by going to various review websites to find out what can go wrong. Always borrow loans when you are fully sure. Do you know of any better loan providers that offer loans at good interest rates? Share some of them with us in the comments section below. Read Also: What Is Stockinvest? Is It Legit And Working mPokket: Information, Eligibility Criteria, Interest Rates, Review & More Medplus Health IPO News, Allotments, And Updates You Should Be Aware Of
May 06, 2023
Family Budgeting 101: Tools And Tips For Managing Household Finances
If you’re the breadwinner, you’re likely very well aware of the financial challenges of raising a family. From staying on top of bills to keeping your kids healthy and happy, there’s a constant push-and-pull of financial responsibilities that requires constant analysis on your part to resolve. In some cases, it can feel all too easy to just buckle down and fall behind financially. However, formulating a foolproof family budgeting strategy is indeed a possibility, regardless of how your finances currently stand at present. This can come in various forms, from cutting down on unnecessary costs to using tools to help break down your household’s cash flow. Here are some tools and tips to help you manage your household finances more effectively. 1. Track your budget If you don’t have a budget tracker for your household, prioritize creating one as soon as you can. A financial tracker is one of the easiest ways to get a good look at your finances, whether it’s your income or bills. This is not only useful in a corporate-level setting, but it’s also helpful for households in monitoring their cash movements. Some trackers even enable users to create financial ratios to help provide them with a clearer picture of their financial standing. For instance, some trackers have an emergency fund ratio, a ratio that measures how easy it is for liquid assets to be converted to cash in a pinch. There’s also a savings rate, which is a percentage of how much money you saved over how much you spent on a given period, typically a month. More often than not, budget trackers are used for the simple stuff, namely, inputting your income and expenses. Forming a habit of updating your budget helps keep you mindful of your spending patterns, which can help you make more informed decisions for future spending. 2. Utilise digital tools Technology has seeped its way into every corner of daily life, and in the realm of financial tracking, this is no different. In fact, many software tools and applications today can streamline the budgeting and tracking process, turning what may be minutes or hours of mind-numbing work into mere seconds of computerized processing. This calculator from Westpac is one such tool, among many other budget calculators, that can help you crunch data and project how much money you’ll need before you reach a financial benchmark. Furthermore, some tools can help keep you informed and notified about any issues related to your finances. For instance, some apps can remind you when your latest bills are due. Other apps can also provide an easy-to-read graph of your expense breakdown. Budgeting is a comprehensive activity that involves a lot of moving parts. There’s bound to be a digital app or extension that helps make that one budgeting process much easier and more approachable. Some good budgeting apps to help start you off include Mint, YNAB, and Quicken. 3. Set budget goals Every family has different budget goals that set them apart. Some families may be saving up for a new car, while other families are saving up to buy a new house. A few households may not have such grand purchases in mind and would rather climb out of a hole of debt. Having a goal is important because it gives you a target to aim for. The presence of this goal allows you to reverse engineer your decisions and strategize your financial behavior to actualize that goal. If the financial goal seems like a far-off fantasy, you can start breaking it down into smaller and more achievable chunks. You can establish figure-related milestones, like saving a certain amount each month or lowering your weekly expenditures. By having these short-term goals, you can find it easier to track your progress and adjust your purchase behaviour accordingly. 4. Pay off your debts immediately Financial management isn’t only about saving money and boosting your income—it also requires proper debt management. Debt, on its own, isn’t inherently bad. If you can guarantee that you can pay it on time, then having this infusion of funds in your hands can be used to pay off bills and other critical expenses. That said, having unpaid debt can be disastrous for your financial health. For instance, unpaid credit card and loan dues can incur high interest rates over time. Some loan types may also require borrowers to pay late fees for delayed payments. These can all add up, especially if you let the debt run for multiple months. So as soon as you earn income or receive money, be sure to pay off these debts immediately, starting with the debts that have been around the longest. 5. Uphold family financial values Family financial management is a team effort. You don’t want to be the only one restricting your spending while your spouse and/or children splurge for whatever they want, especially if they’re dependent on your income. As such, you should teach your kid key financial values as early as possible. Teach them the scarcity of money, the value of money, the importance of saving, the importance of holding off from wants, and other healthy money habits. You should also communicate finances with your spouse honestly and openly. Being on the same page is important for not just your financial health, but also your relationship at large. This can promote harmony and stability within the family unit, as well as foster the right foundation for proper money management. 6. Minimise unnecessary spending It’s crucial for all members of the family to commit to lowering their spending. Living below your means can seem tough, but it can be approached in several ways. For instance, instead of buying lunch in the cafeteria or at restaurants, just prepare a packed lunch from home. Also, avoid buying random snacks and drinks throughout the day. You should also look into your monthly subscriptions and see if there are any monthly payments you’re making that aren’t being used. Cancel these unused subscriptions, and urge your family to do the same. Furthermore, find ways you can lower your expenditure by buying things at lower rates. You can use discounts, coupons, and vouchers to lower the cost of products and services that you and your family need. Being proactive and scouring for these discounts through email newsletters or partnered websites can be a good way to score a good deal. 7. Be flexible Here’s a cold, hard truth: things will never always go as planned. Emergencies can and often will happen, and many of these emergencies are capable of wiping a significant portion of your savings away. As such, it’s important to develop contingency plans in your budget in case these events do occur. For starters, you can try to make an emergency fund as a financial cushion in case a sudden bad event happens. Besides that, always be mindful of your and your family’s lifestyle habits and make the necessary financial adjustments. If you find that your savings rate is decreasing month-on-month because of added expenses, for instance, you may have to think hard and reevaluate your budget’s goals. Being flexible is an important value to possess to be able to navigate financial difficulties effectively. Sticking with one goal stubbornly when the situation around you changes can spell your downfall, so be receptive to change and be prepared to call new shots. Read Also: A Brief Guide To Business Integrated Planning Maximizing Tax Refunds: Tips And Tricks For Canadians Seven Potential Tax Credits Available To Small Businesses In 2023
Dec 20, 2023