If you think OS X is secure enough as it is, you're probably not looking at the bigger picture. No matter how much more secure your Mac is compared to a Windows PC, no machine is totally immune. You still need to be alert and vigilant when you venture past the safer confines of OS X and out onto the Internet. With our tips, you can think different by being more secure.

Here is a link that might be useful: make_your_mac_secure

I've been using Amazon pretty much since their inception and never have found the site to be a mess nor I have had any issues with security. Did you type the URL directly into your browser? If you did, are you sure you typed it correctly?

I can't help but wonder if you have some kind of malware. While OS X is less susceptible to such stuff, it's not immune. Doing a little investigating might be a good idea.

There tends to be a lot less security software for Macs and even less of it is free. Before spending money, you might want to check with your ISP. Many will give you free anti-virus software.

Just as an FYI, many credit card companies will give you a single use credit card number and often you can even limit the dollar amount that can be charged. It's perfect for companies you haven't done business with before or might be less than confident in. Essentially the number is good for one charge and it's useless after that.

If you have not alerted the credit bureaus you defintiely must do that, any time there is any of that type of activity on any account in your name that is a must do, if Visa did not instruct you to do that they sure should have.
What are the steps I should take if I'm a victim of identity theft
follow the info here at this site by the FTC gov
What are the steps I should take if I'm a victim of identity theft

Apple some time back put out an alert on their home page saying that users do need to start using protection on their units.
Apple suggests Mac users install antivirus software

be sure that everything on your Mac is updated including browser, and any add ons.

I had land mail come to me in a girls name, Catherine...eventually a credit card came,,, then an appointment reminder for the dentist, another for a doctor,... and a phone call from the dentist telling me to remind Catherine of her morning appointment... and finally a call months later after many returned mails to the dentist.. no such person at this address - Another phone call, obviously looking for catherine from the doctors office.., Auto insurance company mentioned something about Catherine's lived in same house is part of the potential users of the cars... Still get mail to her sometimes. Drug store started asking me first name for a long time.. I have a unique last name... only one in town.

I can't prove it.. i think Catherine is an Alias of one of the many nursing assistant/caregivers/maids that used to come around when I took care of my elderly disabled dad and she made a fictious name using his initials and my address.. Made herself an identity to save some money.

On those few occasions I needed to use Paypal, I deleted my CC info immediately after wards. There is simply no need for it to sit there like a ticking time bomb just in case someone hacks into my account. If I ever need to use it again, it's easy enough to reenter the necessary numbers.

I have two Visa accounts with the same major national institution. This is two separate accounts. One is only used on the Internet and telephone ordering, and has never been out of the house. The other I carry. About five years ago both were hijacked within a week, and a year later the Internet card was hijacked again. I was fortunate as all three instances were detected in a very short time. The last time by the institution itself.

To this day I believe the institution was hacked in all cases as they were overly cooperative, mailed my new cards in overnight mailers, and didn't even require any affidavits.

From my experience, and if the available tools are still the same, I recommend:

Trust no one.

Contact any one of the three credit reporting agencies and advise them of the occurrence. They will place a watch on your account, and notify the other two agencies.

If your credit card purveyor has alerts, enroll. In my case anytime a charge of over $50.00 is made I get an automated telephone notice, and an e-mail.

If your credit card purveyor has a website, enroll and monitor your card.

Go to the institution you use for general banking, and check to see what safeguards they have available for your account(s). I placed a password for all in-person withdrawals, and any type of inquiries.

If you have never made a purchase through a particular website before, research the site then make the purchase by telephone the first time. From then on as you wish.

Do not embed credit car numbers in any site when shopping.

NEVER respond to solicitations by e-mail or telephone regarding personal information or account information.

Finally, trust no one.

DA

Wow, thx so much you guys for all of your great info. I guess I was pretty lucky actually. I'm going to take all these extra steps now to protect myself, and I wasn't ripped off. Could've been a lot worse. I was also reading today about freezing your credit to guard against identity theft. So easy and cheap!! I can't believe I haven't heard of this before. You know what amazes me the most? That whoever does this sort of stuff has the wherewithal to accomplish it, but can't put that initiative to good, moral, constructive use. They decide instead to use their intelligence to be a dirtbag. It's really a shame.

Here is a link that might be useful: Credit Freeze