Credit Card Fraud Prevention Tips
With advances in technology, it has become more convenient to pay for items online and in stores with credit cards, but as a result, it has gotten easier for thieves to access your bank accounts. Credit card fraud prevention tips can help keep your money safe.
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Save Receipts
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Receipts are the easiest way to dispute an overcharge on your credit card. Take, for instance, a discrepancy in a charge at a restaurant. It is possible for an employee to use your card to increase his tip. He can do this by finalizing your purchase with a higher tip than you indicated. If you save a copy of your receipt with the written amount of how much you left for a tip, you can compare it with what appears on your statement. You can then dispute it with the restaurant. Many restaurants save signed receipts for up to a year.
Destroy Documents with Your Account Numbers
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Store receipts, bank statements and other account payment forms may have your credit card number listed on them. They pose a risk of falling into the wrong hands. There is a scenario of a thief going through the trash to find and use credit card numbers listed on carbon copies and receipts on the Federal Trade Commission website. This is not just something that happens in the movies. Many businesses use safety measures to prevent credit card fraud by printing receipts with only a portion of the number, but you will probably have documents or receipts that have your entire credit card number on them. Keep them in a safe place and consider removing the number on the document. When you want to discard the document, shred it so the number cannot be read.
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Never Leave Your Credit Card Unattended
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It is never safe to leave your credit card where others can see it, like on counters or bars. This creates an opportunity for potential thieves to copy your number or take a photo of it. To prevent this, always hand the cashier your card and put it away as soon as you retrieve it. Keep your credit card in a safe place.
Be Cautious About Giving Out Your Card Number
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There is always a threat of credit card fraud through the mail, e-mail and phone calls. In these schemes, people pose as official representatives of companies, charities and agencies offering too-good-to-be-true rewards. They collect your credit card information, make charges and leave you with nothing in return. Never give out your credit card number unless you can confirm that people are who they say they are. Visa explains on its "Mail and Phone Fraud" web page that it will never call you or e-mail you for your account information. This is true for most banks and credit card companies. They recommend that you never give out your credit card information unless you initiated a call with Visa. This will ensure you are speaking with them and not someone posing as a Visa representative.
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References
- Photo Credit credit card image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com
