What is credit card fraud?

Very recently I completed an article on credit card fraud for one of my sites, and I thought I'd share it with you, since more and more people are falling prey to this crime, and I am sure that you can identify with that. I hope this information is of help to you.

Endorse all the of your credit and debit cards using a non erasable ink pen, at the point of delivery.

Do not write your pin or other access information on your credit card, or store it anywhere close to your credit card. It should not be easy to guess.

Once they are no longer needed, you should shred all documents that contains sensitive information such as your social security number, credit card numbers, and any other similar information that can be used to defraud you in any way.

Do not carry around your Social Security Card unless it is absolutely necessary.

Shred all the credit card applications that you received. These very often contain sensitive information that can be used fraudulently against you.

make full use any online facility that is provided for checking your account by your bankers. Any transactions seen that you are not familiar with should be immediately reported to your bankers.

Guard your passwords with your life. You should change it immediately if you feel it has been compromised.

Do not let your credit cards out of your sight for a moment. It is highly recommended that when making credit card payments at restaurants, that rather than send your card with the waiter to be processed, you should take it yourself and watch while it is being processed. Report any irregularities to your bankers and the police where necessary.

Online transactions should only be done on secured websites and with reputable vendors. Secure web sites would normally have https at the beginning of the URL.

Do not store personal and credit card information on your computer. There are loads of spyware out there designed to retrieve this information for fraudulent use.

Ensure that your mail box is secure and locked at all times.

Minimize the use of mail or email to send financial information.

Get into the habit of doing a regular 'roll call' on your credit cards to ensure that none is missing.

If your credit card is lost or stolen, you should immediately report it to your bankers so that they can suspend your account. You should report it to the credit bureaus.

Make sure that there aren't anyone lurking about while using ATMs.

Be weary of anyone at an ATM who gives you a sad story that they were unable to get the cash because the card got stuck in the machine or was captured, and ask you to assist. Kindly decline. Do not lend them your credit card under any circumstance, no matter how they plead.

Shield your credit card number at all times. The vast majority of cell phones are now equipped with digital cameras making it very easy for pictures to be taken un-noticed. With this in mind you should make every effort to ensure that your credit card information is never exposed so that it can be captured using a digital camera or other similar devices.

Do not leave your credit card receipts lying around. If you no longer wish to keep them, they should be shredded, and not just wrapped up and thrown away.

You should not give your credit card information over the phone. Only give your credit card information to reputable companies.

You should promptly inform your bankers if there is any change in your billing address.

The Internet is a haven for thieves, and is one of the areas where credit card fraud protection is needed most. Ignore any e-mail that you receive telling you that you have won money.

If you ever become a victim of credit card fraud, you should contact at least one of the three free national consumer reporting companies, and have them put a fraud alert on your file. Also inform each creditor where your credit has been misused, and inform them about the fraud. Ensure that this is documented. Close or suspend all accounts that you suspect have been tampered with. You should also change all your passwords. Last but not least, report it to the local police department.

Best Regards

Christopher Phillips
http://www.smartecredit.com
Fast and Easy Online Credit Card Application