Credit Card Safety Tips

Here are some simple and easy to follow rules for limiting the chances of credit card fraud happening to you. As soon as you receive your new credit card in the mail SIGN IT. And also add SEE ID to the strip with your signature. When taking money out of an ATM or using your debit card for purchases enter your PIN in such a way that no one can see it and so noone can chart the strokes of your keys. NEVER EVER walk away from an ATM with your money but without your receipt. Never discard your credit card statments without shredding first. This is another reason why on-line bill pay is great. No paper trail. Never tell someone your credit card information over the phone unless you are the one making the call. If it is an incoming call DO NOT disclose any personal information. Even if you initiated a call in which you disclosed your information be careful of common scams. One such scam is when after you hang up with your phone call someone immediately calls you "back" claiming to be from the merchant and says something along the lines of there being a problem with your credit card number and asks you to repeat the number. Hang up. And call the merchant back again to establish if this claim is legitimate or not. Never leave your credit card behind. Stay focused when making purchases and never take your eyes off of your card. Doing too many things at once or being distracted is a good way to end up leaving behind a crucial bit of personal information that could cost you thousands. Always know how many cards you have, their card numbers and how much of a balance you owe. Always review your monthly statements in order to make sure that no surprise charges occur and that you have actually made all of the charges that you are being billed for. If you do not recognize even one charge- call your credit card company immediately for this could be the start of many more to come!

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