Avoiding Credit Card Fraud

Credit card fraud is becoming more and more of a problem, and if you are not careful then you could lose money to fraudsters. If you are worried about fraud but are unsure how you can protect yourself and your credit cards, then this article could help you.

Here are some useful tips and advice about how to protect yourself from credit card fraud:

1. Always keep an eye whenever you use your credit card and get it back quickly if you have given it to some other person and try not to let your card out of your sight.

2. You need to be careful while you give your credit card to someone else and never give your account number over the phone unless you are sure that the company is a reputed one. Also it is not safe to give the credit card number over phone to any company who asks you for the same seeking excuses such as “computer problem”.

3. Don't give any response to emails asking you to provide your credit card information and emails that ask you to go to a website and verify your personal and credit card information as these are known as “phishing” scams.

4. Don't provide your credit card information over insecure websites.

5. You should sign your credit card as soon as you receive them and shred all the credit card applications when you receive.

6. You should not write your PIN number on the credit card or anywhere near your credit card.

7. Don't leave your credit cards and receipts lying all around.

8. You should shield your credit card number so that others who are around you could not copy or capture it on a mobile phone or camera.

9. Always keep the list of your account numbers and expiry dates and phone numbers along with addresses of each bank issuing you a credit card at safe places. You need to update this list each time you get one new credit card.

10. Try to carry only those credit cards that you require and don't carry extra credit cards that you need rarely.

11. You should promptly open your credit card bills and make sure that there is no bogus charge involved. You should also treat your credit card bill in the same way as you check your accounts and reconcile it monthly. Save your receipts so that you can compare them with monthly bills.

12. In case, you find any charges for which you don't have a receipt or one you don't recognize you need to report these charges to the credit card issuer.

13. You should destroy and void incorrect receipts and shred anything with your credit card number written upon it.

14. Don't sign a blank credit card receipt and you can carefully draw a line through the blank portions of the receipts where there is chance to add any fraudulent charges.

15. Even though carbon paper is not much in use but if there is any carbon used in a credit card transaction you should destroy it immediately.

16. Don't write your credit card account number in a public place for example a postcard or from a place that it is evident to others.

17. Its good if you carry your credit cards separately from your wallet.

18. Never lend your credit card to others and if you move from your existing residence, do notify your card issuer about the change in address.

Report Losses and Fraud
If your card is stolen or lost, report this immediately to the issuer immediately. Many companies have free emergency numbers specifically for such calls. By law, you have no further responsibility for unauthorized charges once you have reported it. Calling quickly will reduce your liability for unauthorized charges, and will help the card issuer to catch the fraudster or block the transactions, making life harder for the crooks.