Thirty Sure-Fire Ways to Guard Against Credit Card Crime from a Credit Card Comparison Authority
Credit cards are now a leading, trusted method of payment for purchasers and stores alike. Besides being a convenient and cashless payment method, a credit card provides a way of borrowing for the short-term. Unfortunately, with the rise in credit card use has come a rise in the prevalence of credit card fraud. These are some pointers that should help you keep your card safe from misuse:
1. Take a look at your cards’ statements on a frequent basis. Question any purchases that you do not think you made.
2. Never save your credit card info on a retailer site.
3. Never allow your card to leave your sight, especially in nightclubs or bars.
4. Use websites with payment-verfication mechanisms. It’s becoming increasingly common for MasterCard and Visa to install payment verification passwords into merchant processes as an added layer of security.
5. Be sure to remember to sign your cards so that merchants have a signature to check against. (You’d be surprised what a large number of people don’t .)
6. Guard your PIN (private identification no.) cautiously by shielding your hand when typing the number into keypads.
7. Think up different PINs for different credit cards.
8. Compare credit cards to see what sort of fraud liability guarantee is available with each. Find out what kind of assurance, if any, the provider of each credit card offers. A little credit card comparison in the beginning can pay you back later if you become a victim of fraudsters.
9. Shred or burn any receipts or other print-outs with your card number on them.
10. Do not purchase from little known or untrusted websites.
11. Try to not use credit cards to buy things from outside the developed world. Information is much more likely to be compromised there.
12. Never let anyone else use your card when you are not present.
13. Never answer emails asking for you to confirm your credit card number or other card info.
14. Never give away credit card information to unsolicited callers claiming to be from a bank or a retailer.
15. Keep a duplicate of your credit card number in a secure place or commit it to memory in case the card disappears.
16. Call your bank or credit card issuer immediately if you’re ever unable to locate your card or you suspect a fraudulent transaction has been made.
17. Don’t use giveaway digits for your PIN such as a date of birth or a street number.
18. Use ATMs found in busy, well-lit areas or inside bank premises.
19. Never move away from an ATM with money in your hand. Always put money in your wallet or purse before leaving the machine.
20. Keep your anti-virus software updated and do regular scans of your computer.
21. Use a firewall to prevent sociopaths from getting access to your home system. If you’re a Windows user, switch on the Microsoft standard firewall at a minimum.
22. Use PayPal as a reliable 3rd party means of paying to shield your credit card details from web stores.
23. Make sure never to divulge more info than you need to to make an order. Keep checking and savings account details to yourself.
24. When shopping at auction sites like eBay, check out sellers’ feedback ratings and only buy from those with very high scores.
25. Don’t carry cash and cards in the same place. That way should you misplace one or have one heisted, you will have the other as a backup.
26. Never sign a blank authorization form.
27. Only take with you the credit cards that you need for that day’s purchases. Leave the other ones behind.
28. When moving, make sure to notify your card issuer as fast as possible and to get all mail forwarded from your old address to your new one for a minimum of six months.
29. Be certain that your card company has your current contact details.
30. Close any card accounts that you aren’t using anymore. Once you are done using them they’re nothing more than liabilities.
About the Author
Kirby Sutton is a freelance writer, online journal editor, and ebook author with a background in finance. He writes articles on consumer credit issues.
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