a day ago
This Is the Least Rewarding Card in My Wallet. Here's Why I Still Use It
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As a credit card writer, I carefully curate my wallet.
I have cash-back cards that earn rewards on everyday spending, travel cards with useful perks and other cards that I've picked up for one reason or another. Most of them earn between 2% and 5% rewards in different categories or provide benefits such as trip insurance.
Then there's my humble Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card*, which earns a flat 1.25x miles on all purchases and comes with relatively few travel benefits. It's not a bad card for its niche -- a no-frills travel card meant for those who don't want to pay an annual fee -- but I personally have more rewarding options in my wallet.
So why do I use it?
For one specific feature: Capital One's virtual credit cards tool. It's invaluable for keeping my card information secure when shopping online. This alone makes my VentureOne worth using over my other, more rewarding cards.
What's a virtual credit card and how does it work?
A virtual credit card is a unique, randomly generated card number you can use in place of your real card information when making purchases online.
The benefit of a virtual card is that you don't have to share your real card number during the transaction, giving you some extra protection from hacking and fraud. A digital wallet like Google Pay and Apple Pay provides similar benefits, but not all merchants accept this payment method. You can use virtual credit cards anywhere online that you'd use a normal credit card.
Some issuers will give you a temporary virtual card number for a newly opened card so you can start spending while you wait for the physical card to arrive. But Capital One's virtual cards feature lets you create and manage new virtual cards at will, which is what really makes it useful.
How to use Capital One's virtual credit card
Capital One's virtual card is available on most of its credit cards, not just the VentureOne. So if you have one of Capital One's other consumer or business cards, you can still use this feature.
There are two ways to generate a virtual credit card for your Capital One credit card:
Use the Eno browser extension, which lets you automatically generate a virtual card at checkout when shopping online.
Manually generate virtual card numbers through the Capital One online account portal or mobile app.
To create a virtual card in the online portal, click on your profile picture in the top right corner, then select "digital wallet manager" in the drop-down menu.
Screenshot by Raina He/CNET
You'll be directed to a new page. Click on the "virtual cards" tile to go to your virtual cards manager.
Screenshot by Raina He/CNET
Here, you can see and manage all your existing virtual cards. You can check the card information and lock, unlock or delete them.
Screenshot by Raina He/CNET
If you click on the "create virtual card" link at the top, you'll be prompted with a pop-up to choose which credit card you want to link your virtual card to (if you have multiple compatible Capital One cards). You can then give your virtual card a nickname. You can also choose whether you want to limit the virtual card to a single use. By default, each virtual card is good for repeated use at one store only.
Once you create your virtual card, you'll be presented with a virtual card number, CVC and expiration date. Use this card like you would your physical credit card when shopping online.
When I use my VentureOne virtual card (and when I don't)
Because the VentureOne's 1.25x flat rewards rate is lower than what most of my other cards earn, using its virtual card feature typically means losing out on some rewards or benefits. But I think the trade-off is worth it for these situations:
Online purchases on sites I don't completely trust: Whenever I buy something from a website I'm not familiar with or I don't trust completely, I'll use a virtual card for some extra security. Depending on whether I think I'll shop there again, I'll either generate a single-use virtual card or a repeated-use card for the specific merchant. In the latter case, I'll lock the virtual card after purchasing and keep it locked until I need it again.
Whenever I buy something from a website I'm not familiar with or I don't trust completely, I'll use a virtual card for some extra security. Depending on whether I think I'll shop there again, I'll either generate a single-use virtual card or a repeated-use card for the specific merchant. In the latter case, I'll lock the virtual card after purchasing and keep it locked until I need it again. Services that require me to keep a credit card on file: Some services, like rideshare apps, require you to keep a payment method on file. I'll use a virtual card for these services so that if my account is hacked, my real credit card won't be at risk, and I can easily disable the virtual card in my Capital One dashboard.
Some services, like rideshare apps, require you to keep a payment method on file. I'll use a virtual card for these services so that if my account is hacked, my real credit card won't be at risk, and I can easily disable the virtual card in my Capital One dashboard. Subscriptions, memberships and free trials: I currently don't have many subscriptions or memberships, but if I did, I'd use a virtual card for them. I've heard horror stories about subscriptions that are easy to sign up for but hard to cancel, and I'd want an easy way to cut off payments if a company doesn't honor my cancellation request. The same goes for free trials, which often automatically turn into ongoing subscriptions if you don't cancel in time. Using a single-use virtual card can help prevent this.
And here's what I don't use the card for, because I either don't need to or I don't think the trade-off is worth it:
Anywhere I can use my digital wallets: While creating a virtual card through Capital One's tool is relatively simple, it's still an extra step. When a site lets me use my digital wallets, which offer the same protections as a virtual card but are more streamlined to use, I'll use that instead.
While creating a virtual card through Capital One's tool is relatively simple, it's still an extra step. When a site lets me use my digital wallets, which offer the same protections as a virtual card but are more streamlined to use, I'll use that instead. Expensive purchases from trustworthy sites: For high-value purchases on sites I trust, the potential for additional rewards outweighs the security risks, so I'll use the card with the highest rewards. Generally, that means a tiered rewards card or a 2% flat rewards card (depending on the purchase).
For high-value purchases on sites I trust, the potential for additional rewards outweighs the security risks, so I'll use the card with the highest rewards. Generally, that means a tiered rewards card or a 2% flat rewards card (depending on the purchase). Travel purchases (with a caveat): I use my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for most travel purchases to activate the card's various trip protections. However, sometimes I'm forced to book travel through sites whose security I'm not entirely confident in. In these situations, I weigh the risk of not having my Chase Sapphire Preferred's travel protections if something goes wrong versus the risk of having my credit card information potentially compromised, then make a decision on a case-by-case basis.
I use my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for most travel purchases to activate the card's various trip protections. However, sometimes I'm forced to book travel through sites whose security I'm not entirely confident in. In these situations, I weigh the risk of not having my Chase Sapphire Preferred's travel protections if something goes wrong versus the risk of having my credit card information potentially compromised, then make a decision on a case-by-case basis. In-person purchases: Since I can't use a virtual card to make in-person purchases (except through a digital wallet, which makes a virtual card unnecessary), I'll generally use my other, more rewarding credit cards over my VentureOne card.
There are many different Capital One credit cards, and some offer competitive rewards in their category. Depending on which card you have and what you're buying, your virtual card may well be your most rewarding card. In that case, feel free to use it for everything.
Other tips to keep your credit cards safe
Using a virtual card is one good way to keep your money safe, but it shouldn't be your only line of defense. Here are some other strategies I personally use and recommend:
Lock any cards you aren't regularly using: I have a lot of credit cards, and some see more frequent use than others. Any card I'm not using on a daily basis, I keep locked, which blocks new purchases but generally allows established recurring transactions to go through. Most banks allow you to lock and unlock your card at will through your account dashboard. If you have virtual cards that allow repeated use, lock those too when you're not using them.
I have a lot of credit cards, and some see more frequent use than others. Any card I'm not using on a daily basis, I keep locked, which blocks new purchases but generally allows established recurring transactions to go through. Most banks allow you to lock and unlock your card at will through your account dashboard. If you have virtual cards that allow repeated use, lock those too when you're not using them. Don't save payment methods in your browser or online accounts: I try to avoid saving my credit card information in my browser or on any website that doesn't require it. The convenience isn't worth the security risk if your account gets hacked or the site experiences a data breach.
I try to avoid saving my credit card information in my browser or on any website that doesn't require it. The convenience isn't worth the security risk if your account gets hacked or the site experiences a data breach. Regularly monitor your accounts and report any unauthorized transactions immediately: Make a habit of going through your credit card transactions on a regular basis. If you find anything that looks wrong, report it to your issuer immediately. This way, they can deactivate and replace your card to prevent further unauthorized transactions, as well as potentially refund your money. And if your physical card has been stolen or you suspect your card information has been compromised, you should also report it, even if no unauthorized transactions have occurred.
*All information about the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
