Abstract: The method and apparatus for pre-authorizing transactions includes providing a communications device to a vendor and a credit card owner. The credit card owner initiates a credit card transaction by communicating to a credit card company data base, and storing therein, a distinguishing piece of information that characterizes a specific transaction to be made by an authorized user of the credit card at a later time. The information is accepted as "network data" in the data base only if a correct personal identification code (PIC) is used with the communication. The "network data" will serve to later authorize that specific transaction. The credit card owner or other authorized user can then only make that specific transaction with the credit card. Because the transaction is pre-authorized, the vendor does not need to see or transmit a PIC. In addition, if the credit card is lost or stolen, it cannot be used because all sales using the credit card must be pre-authorized using the confidential PIC.