5 habits for safer online payments

Most payment fraud doesn’t start with sophisticated hacking. It starts with a rushed moment: a message that looks urgent, a checkout page that looks almost right, a code shared with someone who sounds official. The good news is that a handful of habits close most of those doors.

1. Never share one-time codes

A one-time code is the final key to your account. OPM will never call, text or email to ask for one — and neither will any legitimate bank. If someone asks, it’s a scam, however convincing they sound.

2. Use virtual cards for online shopping

A virtual card has its own number, separate from your physical card. Use it for subscriptions and new shops, and freeze or delete it in a tap if anything looks wrong — your main card keeps working.

3. Turn on instant notifications

Real-time alerts mean you see every payment the moment it happens. If you spot one you don’t recognise, you can freeze your card straight from the notification.

4. Check the address, not the logo

Logos are easy to copy; web addresses are harder to fake. Before you enter card details, check the address bar for the exact domain and a secure connection.

5. Pause when it feels urgent

Urgency is a scammer’s favourite tool. A genuine request will still be there in ten minutes.

If a message pushes you to act now, stop, close it, and contact the company through its official app or website instead. If you think you’ve been targeted, freeze your card in the OPM app and contact our team right away.

This article is general information, not financial advice.