Despite the growing popularity of the Internet, Britons still have trust issues with paying over the web, according to research from Visa Europe and leading psychologist Dr. Cynthia McVey.

One in five Internet users (20%) have never made an online purchase, according to a report on the attitudes of Britain's web users, and of those who do shop online, the majority (69%) think e-tailers should do more to make them feel secure.

Even existing online shoppers have concerns about the safety of shopping online with one in five only buying over the Internet as a last resort (19%). More than half of those surveyed (58%) agreed this continued reluctance of web users to shop online was due to an "irrational fear" of the Internet. This perception was borne out by the fact that, although a clear majority (68%) of Internet users believe it is not safe to give your credit card details online, only 15 per cent actually know of anyone who has their credit card details misused online.

Web users feel this irrational fear can be overcome with better protection and increased security, and over half (58%) think the web could become safer and claim they would shop more online if it did. The vast majority (83%) claim more should be done to standardise which sites are safe to shop from and a third are calling for password protection of their purchases.

Verified by Visa (VbV), a new password protection system that guaranties cardholder identity, is the first step towards that goal, says the company. Visa's password based service is designed to give shoppers added safety and security when shopping online. It is a straightforward service that ensures both the retailer and the customer are genuine and requires the cardholder to provide a personal password when paying for goods online with their Visa card – much like they would provide a PIN or signature on the high street. This ensures that the shopper is who they say they are when providing card details online.

Dr. Cynthia McVey, psychologist at Glasgow University said: "Placing your card details online can sometimes feel like a dangerous public disclosure."

"People need to be reassured that safeguards are in place and that the card providers continuously monitor the situation and understand their fears. The anxieties arise from the feeling we're not as intimately involved in the purchase as we are when standing at the counter."

"There's no real basis for the fear of being defrauded," she added. "A fear of shopping on the web is really a fear of computer technology generally - it also reflects a general fear of the unknown. If properly approached and advised on a continuous basis, the fearful can be persuaded that shopping online is fun, safe and easy."

By asking the cardholder to prove that they are who they say they are, Verified by Visa will dramatically reduce cardholders exposure to fraud and e-tailers' will benefit from an estimated 80% reduction in the number of disputed online transactions.

To date, Verified by Visa has already been adopted by 80% of US banks, and the European rollout is gathering pace - over 10,000 retailers, 50 acquiring banks and 54 issuing banks across Europe have signed up for the service. Acquiring banks registered for Verified by Visa now cover more than 90% of UK e-commerce traffic.

To find out more about shopping with Verified by Visa visit: www.visaeurope.com/verified

Visa's safe online shopping tips

If you want to use a site that does not yet offer Verified by Visa protection, you should also follow these simple safeguards:

• Make sure your card details are coded before they are sent across the Internet. Look for an unbroken key or lock at the bottom left of your browser window or check the site address, which may begin https:// rather than http://
• Shop with retailers you know about, or research them before you buy to ensure that they are reputable and reliable.
• Keep a record of your Internet transactions, including the retailer's Internet address - known as a URL. Many online stores send customers e-mails summarising the purchase details. Save them.
• Before buying, read the delivery and return policies that should be on the merchant's home page. Can unsatisfactory items be sent back? If the items are faulty, can you get a refund or a credit note?
• The merchant's home page should also have information about delivery arrangements and costs, currencies they accept and taxes that apply.
• Look for a telephone number or e-mail address and note them down in case you have any queries.