29 Sep Don’t Get Caught Being a Victim of Credit Card Fraud

Today many people only carry a credit or debit card because cash is a hassle to carry around. Swiping a credit card is very convenient to those who have one. There are upsides to using a credit card, but people need to be extra cautious when swiping. According to the Federal Trade Commission, 25.6 million adults have been victims of credit card fraud.

Take note of anyone you may give your credit card to. Often time’s credit card fraud takes place at restaurants, retail stores, and on unsecured websites. Be suspicious of anyone who is standing closely behind you or intruding your personal space when paying with a credit card. Hackers are trained to read and store numbers from a relatively far distance. Also hackers often use small devices called skimmers to steal data. Skimmers are placed in areas such as ATM’s and gas pumps to retrieve and steal data being used from the credit card. There is no way anyone would detect tampering of the gas pump or ATM because it is unnoticeable.

There are steps that you can take to help prevent credit card fraud. One of the most important things is to regularly check your account to monitor purchases being made. Make a list of each item purchased with a credit card and if suspicious or unrecognizable items are being purchased then immediately report it. Choose a credit card company that offers fraud protection. Credit card companies should contact the owner of the credit card when fraud is suspected. Paperwork with personal information should be shredded then thrown away. Hackers will dig through the garbage because many adults don’t shred important information. Use a secure system when paying bills or shopping online. The technology hackers use is extremely advanced and it very easy for them to hack into networks that don’t have protection. If you are paying with a credit card over the phone don’t read your credit card information out loud in public. It is best to do this in a private environment such as your home. Last, but not least if anyone is calling or emailing you for credit card information don’t give it to them. Contact your credit card company right away to let them know. There fraud department will determine if the call or email is legitimate and safe.

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