Credit Card Fraud

#1 This is simple and many people don't think about it. Don't give out any personal information over a cell phone or portable phone. Only use a secured phone in your home. Some portable phones do have this option and will say on the screen if it is a secure line. If the line isn't secure anyone can listen in on your phone conversation, therefore acquiring your personal information that you hand over via the telephone line. Be careful next time.

#2 Many people think that when they send their check in the mail to make a payment on their credit card that they shouldn't place the credit card number on the check. This is incorrect. Example. You send your check with your statement insert. This insert goes in one direction and your check goes in another. Names on checks are frequently not the same as on a credit card. What happens next? Your check gets thrown away if it doesn't have a number on it. People sit at a computer for hours inputting credit card payment information and what they go by is the information that is on a check. Believe me, I know I used to work for a credit card company. Write your number on the check. It will save you time and money.

I say this because many people feel that they shouldn't write this information because they feel it will lead to fraud, however this is a misconception. It will help you because you won't have to spend so much time on the phone giving out your personal information over an unsecure line. Plus it is very unlikely that a person will fumble through your mail to get any information like this. If it does happen and your card is used fradulently, most companies allow you to claim the charge as a fraud and the charge will be removed.

#3 Keep your card with you at all times. Don't leave your cards lying around your house and always pick up your card as you leave a store. Many people forget their cards at the store because the teller forgets to hand it back to you. If this does happen, call your credit card company right away, tell them the card is lost and they will reissue you a new card. Simple as pie.

#4 Don't keep too many cards. If you have more than a few cards with you at all times you are more likely to not notice when one is missing. When you do realize it, someone may have charged up your account. Keep an inventory of all your cards, better yet use a financial software program such as Quicken to hold all of this important information.

#5 Scan your statements when you receive them every month. The more familiar you are with these statements, the more apt you are to notice when something is awry.

#6 Know as much as possible about your account information. When you know this information by heart, you will be less likely to write it down in other locations. This will provide less clutter in your life and less possibility that the information will fall into the wrong hands.

I hope that this information has helped you. Keep those cards where they belong.