Protect Yourself Avoid Credit Card Fraud

Without even realizing somebody, right now could have the information they need to wreak havoc on your credit. It can happen easier than you think, for example: a person could dig through a trash can and get his hands on carbon copies of credit card transactions or a dishonest store clerk can make an extra imprint of your card.

While it’s not always possible to prevent credit card fraud from happening, there are some things you can do to lower the risk that you will become a victim.

Some Things You Should Do To Prevent Credit Card Fraud:
- As soon as your card arrives in the mail, you should sign it immediately.
- Carry your cards separately from your wallet, in a zippered compartment, a business card holder, or another small pouch
- Keep a record of your account numbers, their expiration dates, and the phone number and address of each company in a secure place.
- Whenever you are making a transaction, keep an eye on your card all times to verify that it is only being transacted how you intend.
- You should always destroy any carbons you have of your transactions.
- You should void and destroy any incorrect receipts.
- Save receipts to compare with billing statements.
- Open bills promptly and reconcile accounts monthly, just as you would your checking account.
- You should immediately contact your issuer if you notice any charges that look questionable to you.
- Prior to making an address change you should notify the issuer to prevent any misrouted mail.

Some Things You Should Not Do:
- Never lend your credit card to somebody else.
- Never leaver your cards laying around and in plain sight.
- Never leave carbons lying about or allow them to be thrown in the trash, they should be destroyed.
- Never sign a blank receipt and if there are any blanks on a receipt you do sign, draw a line through them.
- Never write your account number or any other credit card information on the outside of an envelope or on a postcard.
- Never give out your account number over the phone unless you're making the call to a company you know is reputable.

If ever you lose your credit card or suspect there is something not right with the transactions you should contact the issuer of the card immediately. Inform them of the problem and by law, once you report your card is lost you no longer have any liability to the charges that occur after that point.