If you are one of those people that's afraid to make an online purchase because you're afraid that someone will steal your credit card number, fear no more!  You can use a temporary credit card number to make online purchases.

That's right; leading credit card companies are now giving their customers the opportunity to use temporary credit card numbers without any charge to use in single transactions.

A temporary credit card number is tied to your regular credit card account, however, the person or company that you are giving the temporary credit card number to, will never see your real credit card account number.

Using a temporary credit card number is ideal if you just aren't sure who you are dealing with, or if you are nervous of making an online transaction for fear of your credit card number being stolen.

Obviously you will have to have an account with a credit card company that offers the temporary credit card number service. Here are a list of companies that are offering this service at the time of this posting:

• Discover Card has something called, "Discover Deskshop" that allows you to shop securely with temporary account numbers.
• PayPal offers a service called SecureCard if you have an account with them.
• Citibank offers Virtual Account Numbers, and Bank of America offers a ShopSafe program.
• Mastercard offers MasterCard Secure Code, a password program.  It's not a temporary credit card number service, however, the password will help with unauthorized use of your card.  This works only with participating retailers so the service is limited.
• Visa offers a Verified By Visa password program.  Just like MasterCard, it's not a temporary credit card number service, however, the password will help with unauthorized use of your card.  This works only with participating retailers so the service is limited.
  

American Express use to offer a temporary credit card number service but it shut down in May 2004.

There's a new player in town named Revolution Money.  Based in St. Petersburg, FL, Revolution Money was founded in 2005 by Steve Case as an alternative payments company that seeks to change the way people pay by providing secure, easy and flexible payment options for everyone.

Revolution Money offers the RevolutionCard that's pin-based without having to display a signature or name.  This offers customers much more security than a traditional credit card.

RevolutionCards are accepted at hundreds of thousands of merchants today, both on and offline, such as Bloomingdales, Barnes and Noble, Kohls, T.J. Maxx, and so many more!  If you don't see the RevolutionCard logo at retailers, just ask.  Many retailers may accept the card, but just don't display the logo yet.