How to Protect Yourself from Credit Card Fraud

Keep Your Credit Cards Secure

One of the easiest ways to keep credit card fraud afar is by keeping the credit cards you have secure and safe from any thieves. You should try and make sure that you have your credit cards in either a wallet or a purse that is closely placed to you and it cannot easily be pulled away by any thief.

If you are out for shopping in a busy area, make sure to carry a smaller purse as it is difficult to sneak into or steal from. For both the women and men out there, make it a point to only carry one or two credit as well as debit cards that you might be using on a particular day and leave all of your other cards at home.

Also, do not keep your credit card exposed for a longer time than it needs as the thieves can capture your card with a cell phone or a camera as well. After making any purchase, put your card away immediately into a secure place. Before leaving the restaurant or shop make sure to check that you have your card back in your possession.

Always Shred Anything and Everything That Has Your Credit Card Number

Do not toss away your credit card statements directly into the bin as it is – they generally have your entire credit card number printed on them. Try and shred them to keep any dumpster divers afar from getting a grip on your credit card number. The same goes for any old credit cards that might have been canceled or expired. If you wish to take an extra step to security, you can put the shredded bits into different bins for those extra eager thieves that might sit down to put back the shredded pieces together.

Make Sure Not To Sign On Blank Receipts of Credit Cards

You should always check and verify the amount stated on your credit card receipt before you go ahead and sign it. If you receive a receipt of a credit card that has empty spaces on it, write a null amount in it or draw through space before you pen down your signature. Otherwise, the cashier can easily write in any amount and send it further to your credit card provider.

Avoid Giving Your Credit Card Information

Ensure that you only give out sensitive information related to your credit card on calls that are initiated from your end. Apart from that, when you are contacting the customer service of your card provider, use the number mentioned behind your card. Don’t return any calls to a number that is left on your voicemail or sent to you via email or text. It is difficult to be certain that a scammer has not left a fake number for you to contact. Do not also give your credit card number to anyone calling you and requesting for the same. The scammers are known to be acting like your credit card providers and other businesses in order to trick you into providing your card information.

Be Safe Online With Your Credit Cards

Do not click on links in your email from anyone that seems like your credit card company, bank, or any other business that might be using your personal information, even if it does seem legitimate. These links are more than often phishing scams and the scammers aim at making you fill your login information on the fake website created by them. Instead, visit the official website of the bank separately to login and access your account.

Make sure that you are extremely careful while using your card online. Only enter information on websites that are secure and you are sure are to be legitimate. You can look out for the lock on the right side of your browser to ensure that the website is secure or look for an https:// in the bar. These extra steps can take you a long way in terms of security.

Report Stolen or Lost Credit Cards Immediately

The sooner a missing card is reported by you, the sooner can the provider cancels the card and prevents any fraud charges. Reporting the loss or theft of your card immediately lowers the probability of you having to pay for any unauthorized charges made on your account. Write down and carry your company’s customer service helpline number so that you have it handy if you ever need it.

Review Your Monthly Statements

The first sign of credit card fraud is the unauthorized charges and transactions on your credit card. If you notice some charge that is not made by you, even if it is small, report it to your provider at the earliest. Your credit card issuer will tell you whether or not you should shut down your account and get a new one to save yourself from credit card fraud.

Make Strong Passwords and Keep Them Safe

You may be storing your credit card numbers in many places online. For instance, you might be having them stored on Amazon for a quick and easy payment process. In such cases, make sure your passwords are safe and strong with a good combination of upper case and lower case characters along with numbers and special characters, also avoid sharing or writing down your password.

Keep a Lookout for Scammers at Gas Stations and ATMs

The thieves of credit cards sometimes place scamming devices onto the readers of credit cards on the ATMs or at gas stations. These skimming devices capture and then store the information of the credit cards and then the thieves later come back to get the device and the information stored on them. Skimmers are generally placed on the regular swipe of credit cards, so if you are at swiping at a place that might seem a little off or shady, you should skip it and go to another ATM or gas station.

Make sure to follow the tips above to keep your money and your credit cards secure and safe from any fraud!

Related Links- 

How to Spot a Fake Credit Card

Most Common Types of Credit Card Frauds

How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Credit Card Fraud?