| It's an inconvenience nobody wants to live through: a | | | | select the two or three you think would be best useful |
| theft. I can remember a summer's day at the public | | | | for your day to day needs. Keep one card with you |
| pool twenty-five years, where my father used to take | | | | for regular use, and put the other cards in a safe place, |
| us to keep cool in the Florida sun. He had left his wallet | | | | like a personal safe, for dire emergencies like a car |
| underneath a pile of clothes while we went swimming, | | | | repair or medical payment. As you get new cards, |
| only to later find it had been stolen. A few weeks later | | | | destroy the expired ones immediately. Cut them into |
| he received a credit card statement listing charges the | | | | pieces and distribute them among different trash piles. |
| thief had made on the card. Thankfully, my father had | | | | You never know, some thieve often scour trash |
| reported the theft immediately, and was therefore not | | | | looking for intact cards and credit statements to use to |
| liable for the fraudulent purchases.Twenty-five years | | | | their advantage!Keep PINs private: Oftentimes, you are |
| ago, though, you didn't hear so much about credit card | | | | allow to set a personal identification number, or PIN, for |
| theft and identity theft as you do now. While the | | | | a credit card in the event you need an emergency |
| Internet has expanded commerce horizons, it brings | | | | infusion of cash against your credit line. Often, too, we |
| with it greater opportunities for thieves to take | | | | tend to use simple numbers, like a birthday or year, |
| advantage of unsuspecting consumers. If you are just | | | | Social Security digits, or even 1234. This is not a good |
| starting to establish good credit, it is important to be | | | | practice to keep. If your entire wallet was to be stolen, |
| vigilant where protecting your interests is concerned. | | | | a thief might have access to much of your personal |
| This doesn't mean, of course, that you should not apply | | | | information, and can deduct a PIN number based upon |
| for credit cards or never use the ones you have. | | | | what he learns from your identification.Keeps PINs |
| Indeed, owning a department store card, a gas credit | | | | private. Use a combination you will easily remember, |
| card, and a regular card are stepping stones to | | | | and don't write the numbers down where they might |
| creating a health credit rating. This is good to have | | | | be found. When using an ATM, always make sure the |
| later in life when you are ready to purchase a car, | | | | view of the keypad is obscured when you enter your |
| computer system, or even a home.You may think | | | | card information. Crafty thieves can detect a PIN |
| credit card or identity theft may not happen to you, but | | | | number with binoculars, so be careful.Report all thefts |
| recent statistics are astounding. Nearly nine million | | | | immediately: The second you realize your credit card is |
| people were counted among victims of identity fraud in | | | | missing, call the credit card company and have it |
| 2006, with a good percentage coming from theft of | | | | canceled. Check with the representative, too, to see |
| credit card information via the Internet. It is a good idea, | | | | about their theft and fraud policies. It may also be a |
| therefore, to take steps now to prevent possible fraud | | | | good idea to consult with your insurance agent if you |
| in the future. Twenty-five years ago our family's | | | | have a homeowner's policy that includes retribution for |
| inconvenience was minor. These days some cases of | | | | credit card theft.Shop safely: The Internet makes it |
| identity theft can take months to undo the damage. | | | | easy to shop online, but you want to be certain that |
| Here are a few handy preventative measure to help | | | | you are purchasing only from trusted vendors. Check |
| ensure safe credit:Limit number of cards you own: It is | | | | their websites: are the ordering pages secure? Is this a |
| a great temptation to want to apply for every card for | | | | brand you know? Do they have a sound return policy |
| which you are approved. As you build a strong credit | | | | and quality customer service? Is there a phone |
| rating, more companies are going to approach you to | | | | number available in the event you do not want to give |
| sign on with on. At best, one should have no more | | | | your information over the computer? When you shop |
| than three general credit cards. Remember, they aren't | | | | online, don't forget to shop the shops as well.With |
| baseball cards, there is no need to collect them all!Look | | | | vigilance and care, you can take strong steps toward |
| for credit cards with the lowest interest rating and | | | | preventing identity and credit card fraud. |