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8 Credit Card Safety Tips You Must Know



The tips for credit cards safety can be followed in several simple ways. Credit card thieves are using new ways and techniques and this poses risks to the average customer, whether he is using the card for online or offline shopping. Do you think you are informed about the numerous tactics used by them? Some of the tactics include:


  • The customer waits in line to pay at the store. The credit card is handed to the clerk while he is at the counter. The person behind him peers over the customer’s shoulder with an apparent interest. He starts taking pictures, using a cell phone’s camera. Without apparent difficulty, the thief records both, the credit card number and the name of the customer. The latter does not even notice. Always pay attention to those who are waiting in line behind you. Up to the actual payment for the purchase, it is best to keep the card hidden.


  • The customer uses a credit card to pay for his purchase. The card is taken over the counter by the clerk and an imprint is made on a special blotter. Having acquired such a carbon copy, the thief is now free to make purchases online or at every store. A close eye must be kept on unknown clerks, probably hired for the holiday seasons, during which the stores are busy with clients.



  • When the customer visits the store’s rest room, he puts his purse on the sink while washing his hands. The wallet is removed without his notice by the thief. Personal belongings should not be left unattended in busy areas. Multiple opportunities are given to snatchers and the like in this manner. They will be glad to steal your credit cards and other personal belongings.



  • A decision is taken to use a cash machine in a distant part of the town, which is far from a legitimate store. This is a fraudulent setup, but this is exactly what the customer fails to notice. A small camera, concealed within the ATM machine, records his PIN code and credit card number. Avoid using an ATM in areas you are not familiar with. Use the ATM of your bank or one that you know well.


  • If you discover that your credit card is lost or alternatively, you find out that there are irrelevant charges, contact the card issuer (a company or a bank) and the police.


  • The new card should be sighed as soon as it is handed over. Signature is another way to combat fraud. If someone else signs your card, he will be able to use it.


  • Without the verification of the caller’s identity, any personal information with regard to your card, such as account number and expiration date, should not be released over the phone.


  • Remember your PIN and never carry it with you. It must not be written on a piece of paper or placed on the card. The thief gets an access through the PIN, and he can use the card with any ATM machine.