Right now, someone may be charging goods and services to your credit card, and you won't know about it until your next statement arrives.

This is because every day millions of us trust our credit card details to complete strangers, often over the phone. Sometimes we even give people our actual cards to take out of sight to 'do the business' with. I know I've done it, and statistics show that you've probably done it too.

Even after our credit card has been charged the risk is not over because a large number of us throw away the carbon copy of the transaction into public litter bins.

Even tearing up a carbon copy makes no difference to the thief: he just needs the number, the expiry date and the name, and if he can piece these together then his spending spree at your expense can begin.

Many companies who accept credit cards over the phone will ship to addresses other than the one registered for the cardholder, so the thief's job is even easier.

Yet despite the clear evidence that people are either unaware or unconcerned about the ease with which credit cards can already be abused, 90% of the UK population have stronger fears about credit card fraud on the Internet compared with card fraud using existing methods.

By definition many of these people must also carelessly discard their credit card copy slips, or give their credit card details freely over the phone to strangers. So why the disparity?

The answer lies not in the real risks, but in a public perception which is not formed through experience (has anyone you know actually been affected by fraud over the Internet?), but is largely formed through mass media news stories.

Because of the encryption of credit card information on the Internet, and the stringent security controls that credit card companies insist on for Internet merchants, Internet credit card purchases are actually safer than most other means of card transaction.

But the Internet is sexy news, and credit card fraud is especially sexy news, and with this fuelling of existing fears, it is no surprise that the average consumer is now genuinely concerned.

However, for any UK company thinking of setting up shop on the Internet, the story isn't as bleak as it first appears.

More than 50% of all UK Internet users have already overcome their fears and bought something online using their credit card.

This percentage is rising, and with increased exposure the comfort factor will increase.

As e-commerce is relegated in the order of news headlines, credit card fraud scares will become less sexy as headlines, and people will begin to realise that the future for online shopping really is safe.

David Scholefield is strategy director of port80 Internet consultancy, Riccall. Telephone 0870 0508080;

e-mail davidatport80.com;www.port80.com.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.