Every documented case where credit card info was stolen from the web, including the story that broke on 2000/01/10, were shopping cart type systems using 40/128 bit security. In these cases, the data was stolen by hacking into the host site and accessing the data in the clear. In our case, the data remains encrypted until it gets to a computer with no web connection (or even a modem) for processing and record keeping.
In addition, having your credit card number stolen is a problem for merchants, not you or your credit card company. Your credit card company will refund any disputed charges, and then take the money from the merchant. It is up to the merchant to sue (if he can find) the fradulent user of the card number.
You can use PayPal. Just fill out this order form, and use the credit card
number
4000-000-000-009
with any expiration date you like. You
can put in dummy data for address, but you need to use your correct name
and HAM info. If you do this, PayPal will send you an invoice for you
to pay using any of PayPals secure methods.