Quote Originally Posted by austastar View Post
Hi,
I'm considering getting a Post Office Master Card with a prepaid amount I can top up online for day to day purchases to avoid exposing the bank account to potential fraudulent opportunities.
Anyone else doing the same or similar?
Cheers
I have a second Visa card with a **** all credit limit for *all* online purchases. I just log into internet banking, tip whatever I want to spend into it, then spend it.
That way if it does get skimmed, I know because there are a pile of transaction attempts (last one was dan murphys for $500 when the card had about $100 available).

Years ago, I was in the UK, in the middle of bloody nowhere when both my UAE HSBC and Australian NAB cards were both "blocked for fraud", which meant I was stuck in the middle of hicksville and couldn't even buy a train ticket back to London. From then on I've carried a backup. So I have a "daily use" card that has almost no credit, and I carry a "get out of jail" card that I try never to use, but has a credit limit that will get me to an airport and flight home from anywhere.

It has come in handy several times over the years.

Anyway, I digress. I looked at the Aust Post credit/debit card. The advantage in having it be a genuine Visa (or mastercard) is it's in my internet banking and I can toss money into it while standing in the corner of the shop on my phone. It's not linked to anything, so the most they can take is the credit limit. The only issue I had was initially fighting with the bank to get a card with a credit limit < $1k.

Watch the lecture by Frank Abagnale Jr. He recommends his kids to put everything on the VISA/Mastercard. The purchaser protection is worth it. *

* Not investment advice, may be a fire risk, do not eat, keep away from naked flames/ladies, buyer beware, may stain whitegoods or cause arse to look big in jeans.