Hip or Nip? Credit Card Social Networking Site Blippy Opens New Possibilities – and Threats – to Credit Card Users

May 31st, 2010

There has been a new entrant in the social networking arena. Blippy, a site that links users’ profiles to their credit cards, has opened up a can of worms regarding online security. Read on to find out more about this, and how you can stay safe online.

As we all know, there has been a rise in the popularity of online social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Blippy is a new entrant in the online social network scene, but this is a social network with a twist – users link their profiles to their credit card details, and every time they make a purchase that information automatically appears on Blippy, just like a “tweet” would appear on Twitter. Unfortunately, there have recently been some online security issues with Blippy.

Intended Usage

It may seem strange to make your purchase details public, but Blippy allows users to control the amount of details regarding their purchases that appears. Many Internet experts believe that Blippy could become a very useful economics tool. Customers can easily share prices of goods and services in their area, which would make comparison easier for customers, and make unfair practices more difficult for large corporations.

Security Issues

The fact that users’ credit card details are linked to their profiles makes an online security breach at Blippy very dangerous. The technology website tech.blorge.com recently found out that there was indeed a security breach at Blippy. It had become possible to find out users’ credit card details just by entering a simple Google search. Blippy immediately contacted Google to close this security loophole. However, the following day Business Insider reported that another credit card number had been found just by entering a slightly different Google query. Blippy continues to insist that their advanced encryption methodology will prevent any credit card or other personal details from being stolen.

Online security

The online security breach at Blippy, though it may have been solved, highlights the need for Australian consumers to be very careful on the Internet. It is essential that consumers protect their card details during transactions and not reveal them online.

Here are some tips that can help you stay safe online:

Make sure you are using a secure site when purchasing goods online or conducting any other financial transactions online.
Do not share your financial details. You wouldn’t tell a stranger on the street personal details about yourself, so why would you share those details with a stranger on the Internet?
Check your card statements carefully every month to be sure that there have not been any fraudulent activities.
Never respond to an email asking you to confirm your credit card details, even if it appears to be from your bank – these are so-called “phishing” schemes.