Fighting Credit Card Fraud: What you need to Know
A sobering fact in today’s technology-driven society is that fraud – particularly credit card fraud – is an increasingly serious problem that many of us will fall victim to at one point or another.
From stealing your credit numbers to your identity, credit card thieves are craftier than ever, which can cost you big.
The following are the most frequent types of credit card fraud, and what you can do to prevent it:
Skimming –
- What is it – Skimming is a fairly new type of credit card fraud that happens when you hand your credit card over to make a purchase. The thief takes your credit card and, in a matter of seconds, steals your credit card numbers using a small, handheld device called a “skimmer.”
- What you can do – Pay close attention to anyone that takes your card for a purchase, particularly those individuals that must walk away in order to complete your transaction.
Phishing –
- What it is – Phishing is credit card fraud that happens via email. Phishing are usually bulk emails that are sent to consumers. These emails, which usually disguise themselves as the individual’s bank or credit card company, ask consumers to provide their personal information. They may appear to be legitimate, even possessing the company’s logo or replicating the company’s web site.
- What you can do – Never, ever respond to an unsolicited email requesting your personal information. Banks and credit card companies will never ask for your personal information via an email message. If in doubt, contact your credit card company or bank directly to inquire about the validity of the email. In addition, make sure you type your bank’s address so that you aren’t re-routed to a fake website who can gain access to your credit card number or other personal information.
It is important to understand that, although credit card thieves are finding new ways to steal consumers’ identities every day, you can protect yourself by never responding to emails, by never providing your personal credit card information to anyone over the phone unless you have initiated the call, and by always paying close attention whenever you pass off your credit card to anyone.
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These are really important aspects of preventing credit card fraud. Your information is helpful to avoid us from falling victim to it.