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Tips to Avoid Credit Card Fraud

By Louis Fabiano

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 21Feb2011
Word count: 931
Viewed: 244 time(s)

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Credit card fraud has become a pandemic that affects hundreds of millions of people across the globe each and every year. While many nations have enacted laws that help to protect consumers from receiving the brunt of this heinous crime it can still wreak havoc on a person's credit score and their bank account. It's vitally important in this day and age to know how you can protect yourself and keep your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

The easiest way for a thief to steal your credit card information is to steal the credit card itself. This form of credit card theft is the easiest to trace and the easiest to catch early on. It's always important to keep your card on you at all times and check regularly that it is still in your possession. Don't leave your purse or wallet unattended and if you are mugged o r your purse is snatched report the crime immediately. Most credit card companies will reimburse you for any unknown transactions but the sooner you report it as missing the easier it will be to avoid disputes over which transactions were made without your knowledge.

Credit card statements are also a great way for thieves to get a hold of your information. It's best to avoid paper credit card statements all together and opt for online statements that give you more up to date information and privacy. If you must use paper statements be careful about how you store and dispose of them. Make sure that you always keep important papers in a safe place and shred any documents that contain your credit card statement before you throw them away.

While this may seem like a hassle, it could save you a lot of trouble down the line, so play it safe. You never know who might be going through your garbage.

Never give out your credit card information over the phone unless you are making the call to a reputable source that you know and trust.

While this may seem pretty obvious to some people, scammers often have a way with words and many have fallen prey to their smooth tactics. If you have a concern about a company that has contacted you, it's always a good idea to write down the name and number of the organization and check it out with your local consumer protection office or Better Business Bureau. If a scammer is contacting people in your area, you can protect others and help put a stop to their actions by notifying the proper authorities. In all honesty it's never a good idea to give out credit card information over the phone. There is always the chance that the wrong person could over hear you and write down your information but sometimes it will be necessary just make sure you are careful about it.

In this day and age though, you're at the highest risk of getting your credit card information stolen when you use your card online. There are multitudes of ways that people can get a hold of your information so it's extremely important that you are particularly careful when making transactions over the internet. For starters, NEVER give out your information directly to anyone that you are uncertain about. Most individuals or small internet companies accept payment through trusted third parties such as paypal or neteller who protect your information and keep others from gaining access to it. If these sorts of payment methods are not an option then it's better to just avoid making a purchase with them entirely unless they are a very well known and reputable site such as Amazon. Even when making a purchase with a major site be sure to check the URL and do not use links given to you via email. Never give out your information to someone who requests it via email even if they say they say they are from your bank because banks would not ask for such information.

When making a purchase over the net make sure you always use your own personal computer to make transactions. There are lots of programs out there that allow people to see every keystroke you make and if one of these programs happen to be on the computer you're using at the time it could log all of your personal information making it quick and easy for a thief to access. Some spyware works in much the same way so when using your computer be sure to run anti-virus and anti-spyware checks regularly to locate any security problems.

Finally, check your statements regularly for any unknown transactions.

Sometimes thieves will get a hold of your information and wait months before they make a move and other times they will just take a little bit at a time in hopes that you won't notice. There is a reason that credit card companies provide you with a statement so make sure that you check yours every single time you receive one.

Credit cards are extremely convenient and provide a valuable service, so don't let all of these tips make you nervous. In many ways credit cards are still safer than cash because if your card is stolen you can still get the majority of your money back. Play it safe and report any problems early and you'll be able to enjoy all the benefits credit cards have to offer, without the headaches.

Author and publisher since 1999. Articles, stories and commentary have appeared in national magazines and are published on the internet. Mr. Fabiano has also been a featured speaker at online publishing and affiliate marketing conferences in the US, Canada and Europe. Credit Cards

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