Virtual card numbers can limit damage when a store is hacked, but they do nothing if a fake login page steals your password. Both risks need a defense.
A virtual card number protects you if an online store is hacked, but it does not protect you if you are tricked into typing your password on a fake page. That is the point of a recent Money Crashers piece. Shoppers need to defend against both problems, not just one.
A virtual card number is a stand-in for your real card number. You use it for online purchases instead of the real one. The store never sees your actual card number.
Say a store you bought from is hacked and your stand-in number is stolen. That number can be shut off. Your real card stays untouched, so you do not have to replace it or change everything linked to it.
Phishing is a scam that tricks you into handing over your own password, often through a fake login page. If you type your details into one, the thief gets into your account. A fake number does not stop that, because the thief is using your login, not the card number.
The material does not say which banks or card companies offer virtual card numbers, what they cost, or how to set one up. Check with your own bank or card provider for what it offers.
Use virtual card numbers for online shopping, and protect your bank and card logins with strong, unique passwords and extra sign-in checks.
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