August 1, 2006

Online auction sites such as eBay are fuelling the rise in credit card use, new figures have shown.

UK payments association Apacs claims that £2.8 billion was spent on auction sites in 2005 with 79 million transactions over this period.

"The internet is now very much part of mainstream culture in the UK and for many people it is the first port of call when looking for certain items to buy," commented Sandra Quinn, director of communications at Apacs.

According to the research, 2005 was the first year in which half of all British adults made an online purchase, which Apacs said is proof of the increasing importance of the internet.

Yet at the same time, Ms Quinn added that this demonstrated the need for more people than ever to be aware of online scams.

While commending the growing use of credit cards for online purchases, Ms Quinn also urged consumers to be wary to whom they give out credit card and personal details to.