These days, the threat of credit card scams is bigger than ever. Every day, stories of frauds are published in the newspapers or broadcasted on television. The number of scam complaints, submitted to credit card issuers in recent years, is unprecedented and the authorities have confessed that their battle with fraud artists is intense and shows no sign of abating. This is why, you should be extra-vigilant when carrying out transactions with your credit card. Below, you will find some simple but useful pieces of advice which will help you protect yourself against unauthorized use of your card and other card-related scams.
Pay close attention to the card statements you receive
Carefully check the statements which the credit card company sends to you every month. If you suspect some fishy operations, notify the company immediately. After the issue is resolved, do not drop your guard, but continue monitoring subsequent statements as to ensure the problem does not show up again.
If you prefer to review your card statements over the Internet, make sure that you have selected passwords which are difficult to guess (and not, for example, the year/ date of your birth, the name of a family member, or the place where you live at present). Also, do not store any passwords on your personal computer, nor write them down on a piece of paper to carry about with you. Otherwise, you will increase the risk of card information theft.
Print a receipt for purchases made over the Internet
When you use your card to shop online, make sure you always print a receipt for your records. In this way, you will have a document you can refer to when the card statement arrives, ensuring no illegal transactions have taken place.
Do not leave your credit card unattended
According to a MasterCard report (published on CTV), the majority of credit cards are stolen at the workplace. Therefore, make sure you always have your card with you while you are at work. When you are dining at a restaurant or staying at a hotel, you should also keep a watchful eye because card thieves prefer to target their victims in busy places like these. Naturally, crowded tourist destinations are another favorite place of thieves.
Do not reveal credit card information via email
If you receive an email claiming to come from your credit card company and asking for information such as your address or credit card number, do not respond. You can be over 100 percent certain that this message is some sort of a scam. Card issuers and banking institutions will never request customer information over electronic mail, a means of communication which is easy to intercept and rather unsafe.
Request credit reports on a regular basis
Contact Equifax and TransUnion and obtain a credit report to ensue your credit score has not been damaged by some misuse of your card. Request reports on a regular basis, e.g. at least once every couple of months.
Do not delay collecting your mail
If you receive letters from your credit card company, be sure to remove them from your mailbox as soon as they are delivered. Also, if you go on a holiday, have a trusted friend or neighbor collect the mail for you. In any case, do not let it stay in the mailbox for a prolonged period of time.
Mark the time interval at which you receive credit card letters. If they do not arrive within the expected period, contact your card issuer as to inform them of the delay.
Comments on this entry are closed.