Excuse my language, but people who wish to rip others off using credit card fraud are simply a pain in the ass. It happened to me before, so I thought I’d post some tips on preventing this happening to you:
Use Cash Machines Safely
- Never use a cash machine if you suspect anybody is acting suspiciously near the machine itself. If you notice any suspicious behaviour then please, report them.
- If for some reason your card is swallowed by a cash machine, contact your card issuer straight away, and inform them of your loss
Protect Your Identity
- If you move home, ensure that your mail is re-directed to your new location. In the wrong hands, your mail can be a vital weapon in indentity fraud
- Always dispose and shred personal documents (bank statements etc).
When Abroad
- Make a note of the emergency numbers that you need to call in the case of losing your credit card. Put them somewhere safe.
- Seriously, only take the cards that you need for your holiday. Ensure that the rest are somewhere secure back at home
Online Shopping
- Online shopping is thankfully more safe these days, but with that increased security, has come an all time high amount of credit card fraudsters.
- Just be sure that your computer is completely virus free, there are many viruses out there that will log your every keystroke and send them back to a fraudster.
- Only shop on websites that are secure. Ensure that the padlock icon (this indicates that a site is secure) is visable in your browser (internet explorer for e.g) before sending your card details. Be aware that this symbol only sometimes appears during the part of the website where the transaction is made / card details are requested.
PIN Number - Keep it Safe
- This is an obvious one right? You’d be surprised at how many people actually don’t keep their pin number safe, it’s important alright
- Memorise this sucker! Don’t leave it written down somewhere that others can find it
- If you choose to change your PIN number, don’t choose anything that is obvious to you like the last four digits of your phone number, or you are just making it easy for fraudsters to operate
- Remember that if you think somebody knows your PIN, you can change it at any cash machine, or you can change it via your bank or card issuer.
If You Are a Victim Of Credit Card Fraud
- Don’t panic, but act fast. Contact the emercency numbers listed on your bank statement, if you don’t have a bank statement, search online or call the bank direct for the correct phone number to call and inform of your loss.
- If you are a victim of credit card fraudsters, you will oly ever have to pay £50 at most. Remember though if you have acted without reasonable care you will be liable for any losses caused by the credit card fraud incident
Well there we have it, for more information on credit card fraud, we recommend that you visit: www.cardwatch.org.uk
