Every year, millions of money gets stolen through credit card fraud. The fraudsters use all manner of tricks to make sure they acquire credit card information from unsuspecting members of the public. In fact, the fraudsters are usually one step ahead in their game, making it difficult for law enforcers to catch up with them. However, there are things you can do to avoid creating loopholes that can be used by credit card fraudsters. Continue reading below to learn how you can keep your credit card information safe.
1. Avoid Carrying your Credit Card
Carrying your credit card when travelling is risky. This is because it can get stolen without you knowing. Keep in mind that there are some pick pockets that can rob you, especially when you frequent high traffic areas. Instead of carrying your credit card, you should consider installing its app on your mobile device because it’s safer. According to Simon Sule, the Founder of Credit Cards Compare NZ, loading your credit card on to your phone and using your phone to make payments instead of your credit card is a great way to keep your credit card details safe from fraudsters.
2. Report Stolen Credit Cards
In case your credit card is stolen, you should not hesitate in alerting the authorities and the credit card company. This is because fraudsters can use your credit card’s information to pay for their purchases and bills while leaving you with the burden of clearing the debts. The moment you alert the credit card company, they will begin to trace it right away and exempt you from paying any expenses that will be left behind by the skimmers.
3. Only Visit Safe Websites
When surfing the web, you should avoid visiting websites that are not secure. You can tell if a website is secure if its address looks like this https://. Besides that, websites that are secure usually have a data encryption policy that is meant to protect the credential of visitors from unauthorized access. In fact, you should avoid sharing your credit card details on such websites when making payments. Moreover, you should avoid using WiFi when in a public place because such a shared network creates a loophole for hackers to steal your personal information.
4. Shred Documents containing Credit Card Information
You might think that your credit card details are safe once they are in the garbage bin. The truth is that fraudsters comb through such filthy places in such of credit card details that they can use to cover their tracks. You should therefore shred every document including expired credit cards that might contain your credit card information before putting them into the trash bin. If possible, you should consider burning such documents.
5. Review Your Credit Card Statement
Most credit card companies send statements on a monthly basis to their customers. As a conscious credit card user, it’s advisable you cross check the statement to confirm that all the figures are correct. If you come across any charges that you didn’t authorize, you should complain to the credit company immediately so that they can investigate when and where the charge was recorded.
