Are embedded Paypal windows secure?

Question

Hi,

I've recently used paid for a service via Paypal and I was wondering if the embedded paypal windows are secure?

For example: you visit the service provider, click on the paypal link which opens a new window with the providers' banner on the top and an embedded Paypal frame where you give your login, credit card etc. It says that the site is secure but some information is not ecrypted (it refers to the top frame - I hope!) :)

Any opinions? Thanks!

Answer 1

You can check the security of the merchant by looking at the merchant's address in the address bar of the new window. If the address starts out with https:// instead of http:// it's a secure site (the added "s" means the site is secure because data is being encrypted.) You should also see a lock icon. Some browsers show this icon in the lower right corner of the screen in the status bar. Other browsers (like IE7) put it in the address bar itself. Since the PayPal site and the merchant site are linked, the warning that some information is not encrypted makes sense. If everything was encrypted, PayPal and the merchant wouldn't be able to communicate. Your order and payment wouldn't be able to be processed.

plrr

plrr

Answer 2

I never ever pay for anything with Paypal apart from through their site. If necesssary, use *send money* tab - although I believe most merchants are probably ok.