Sending somebody an online payment has become easier than ever these days. Whether you need to pay for a product or service, repay a friend for lunch, or pay your mom back some money that you borrowed, there are now more apps and services available that you can use to do this in a couple of clicks.

Online money transfer apps and services are also very popular among people who have moved to another country for work, as they will often use them to send some money back to help out family back home. However, with the growing popularity of online money transfer services, there are also lots of scams and risks. Here are some of the best things that you can do to keep yourself safe when transferring money online. 

Use a Trusted Payment Provider

The best way to stay safe when sending payments online is to use your online banking app to only make transfers to verified accounts. Make sure that you know the person that you are sending money to and have received the account information from them personally. However, if you are unable to use your online banking to make the transfer, for example, if you are sending money abroad to family back home, then it’s important to use a reputable and trusted international money transfer app such as Ria Money Transfer 

Make Sure You Know Who You Are Sending Money To

Only send money to people that you can verify as real. Make sure that you know the person that you are sending money to. It’s best to speak to them in-person wherever possible to get their account details to transfer to. If using a payment app, you may be able to add an additional layer of security by sending it via their email address, which you can verify first. Be wary of any emails or text messages requesting money, even if it appears to be from somebody that you know. A video call or phone call to confirm the information is a good idea, and will enable to you to make sure that it’s actually your relative or friend who has requested the money, and the details you have are correct. 

Use An Anti-Virus Program

Whether you are using an app on your smartphone or another device such as a laptop or tablet to send money to friends and family, it’s a good idea to ensure that you are protected with a strong anti-virus software program. This will scan your device and any software on it to keep a look out for any malicious software or viruses like spyware that might be attempting to get access to your financial accounts or the login details for the payment apps you use. Ideally, you should have the program running in the background at all times so that it can immediately alert you to anything that isn’t right. 

Sending money online has become a common occurrence in today’s world with most of us doing it. However, it’s important to be aware of the risks involved with sending money online each time you make a transfer.