You can apply for some credit cards, like store cards, in person. You can apply for credit cards over the phone. Perhaps most conveniently though, you can apply for many (if not most) credit cards online.

Why would you want to apply for credit cards online? First, it’s convenient. You can apply for a credit card at any hour of the day or night, whether or not customer service people are available to help you. On top of that flexibility, online credit card applications generally offer instant (or nearly-instant) approvals or denials. Most certainly applying online speeds up the overall process. If you complete a paper based application form, this information then has to be entered into the same/similar database where the online application went straight away.

There are some risks with applying for credit cards online though. Risks exist any time you’re asked to give highly personal information out (such as your address and employment information). Fortunately it isn’t difficult to make the online application process safer. The following tips will help you do just that.

1. Apply directly on the bank’s own site. This can be through comparsion sites like Credit Card Offers that provide links to the online application forms.

Sometimes sites are set up by scammers to collect visitors’ personal information. These are called phishing sites, and they get you to enter your information by making the site look almost exactly like the site of a bank or other company. Always make sure you’re on the bank’s real website before entering or submitting any personal details. It’s usually easy to check. Just look at the website address in your browser and make sure the URL includes the bank’s homepage as the root address. If you’re still unsure, Google the bank’s name to get to the official website or type their address in the browser directly, and then navigate to the application page.

2. Make sure any site hosting the credit card application is secure.

You can often tell when a site is secure or encrypted in one, or both, of the following ways. First look at the bottom of your Web browser window. A small padlock icon tells you that the site is secure, and that any data you send through that page will be encrypted for its protection. Another sign is to look at the Web address / URL in the address bar. Most websites’ URLs start with http://. If you instead see https:// it means you’re engaged in a “secure session.” This is common when you’re logged into an account or making a payment online, but you should also look for that security feature on any online application page (you won’t likely see it while navigating the bank’s website until you get into the actual application though).

3. Choose credit card comparison sites wisely.

Many credit card comparison sites are available on the Web. Some, like this site, even link directly to the bank or issuers secure online applications so you don’t have to search through hundreds of sites (like the Qantas American Express Premium credit card). The first thing to consider is the nature of the site. Do they try to force a specific card or company down your throat site-wide, or do they present similar information about many cards in order to simply help you make better-educated decisions? Choose credit card comparison sites that focus on your needs as the consumer. Then just follow the same advice from above–make sure their application links take you to a bank-hosted application form, and make sure those forms are on secure Web pages.

It’s really as easy as 1-2-3 to make the online credit card application process more safe and secure. Just remember this: the fact that it’s fast and easy to apply for credit cards online doesn’t mean that you should fill out application after application, especially if your first is denied. Don’t forget that every time you apply for a credit card, that enquiry will be added to your credit file, and it will stay there for five years. Don’t let convenience negatively affect your future creditworthiness.