Avoiding Fraud On Credit Cards
Imagine the following situations:
Somebody rummages thru your rubbish to find dropped receipts and then uses your account numbers unlawfully.
A shop keeper keeps a copy of your credit or debit card and then uses it to pay for other transactions.
A mailing asks if you can call a long distance number to claim a free prize. You are told to provide your account number to enroll. You do so and are presented with a bill for transactions you never made.
Fraud on credit cards is a massive industry costing consumers and card companies many millions of pounds each year. It's a sort of theft that is much more discrete than traditional theft. Even though it is tough to totally forestall card crime from happening, there are steps you can take to minimize your chances of becoming a victim.
Guard Against Crime
Here are some tips you can take to help in protecting yourself from card crime.
Do:
Sign the back of your cards as soon as they arrive.
Carry your cards separately from your wallet.
Keep your account numbers, expiry dates and company telephone numbers and addresses in a secure place.
Watch your card while it is out of your sight in a exchange and seek to get it back fast.
Destroy wrong bills and all carbons.
Compare receipts with your monthly billing statements.
Open your bills and reconcile your account monthly.
Report dodgy activity or charges smartly and in writing to your card provider.
Tell your card company ahead of a change of address.
Don’t:
Lend your card to any person.
Leave your cards or your invoices scattered around where others might find them.
Sign blank invoices. If there are blank spaces on a receipt, draw a line through them.
Write your account number on the exterior of an envelope or on a postcard.
Give your account number over the telephone, unless you have made a call to a company you have confidence in. If you've got a question about a corporation examine it with your local consumer protection office.
Report Losses and Fraud
If your card is stolen or lost, report this instantly to the issuer immediately. Many companies have free emergency numbers especially for such calls. By law, you've got no further accountability for unapproved charges once you have reported it. Calling quickly will reduce your responsibility for unapproved charges, and will help the card provider to catch the fraudster or block the transactions, making life tougher for the crooks.
Learn the steps I used to repair my credit.
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