| Credit card fraud is no new thing and if you ask | | | | Banks and other financial institutions have powers to |
| around you will possibly find at least one person you | | | | compensate you in full should you be the unfortunate |
| know who has been the victim of such a crime. And | | | | victim of credit card fraud but should be any reason |
| no, its not all internet - based either. Often it will happen | | | | for complacency. They will not always compensate |
| when you least expect it to, in restaurants and in | | | | you which is what happened to me, although that's a |
| stores and shops. | | | | long and rather complicated story. |
| I have used my own credit cards on the internet | | | | Here are a few pointers to help in reducing your credit |
| thousands of times without any issues but even | | | | card fraud potential: |
| though I use my cards in stores and restaurants far | | | | - other than your credit card statements and receipts - |
| less, I have been defrauded this way - in a gas/petrol | | | | anything not worth keeping that is related to your |
| station as a matter of fact. I will happily go on using my | | | | credit card account - you should either shred up or |
| cards on the internet on a daily basis but would be | | | | burn. Its best not to simply throw in the bin |
| more wary of using them offline. | | | | - if you are ever asked to provide credit card account |
| So how can we be the victim of offline credit card | | | | details over the phone you have to ask why. Its |
| fraud? Nothing new here - its called "skimming". What | | | | possible this could be fraudulent activity to be very |
| is skimming? Its where, for example, you give your | | | | sure before you divulge anything at all |
| card to a waiter or waitress in a cafe or coffee shop | | | | - do not simply lend out your card to anyone, other |
| to make payment. Shortly they return your card to you | | | | than those you can really trust |
| and you think nothing more of it. What has happened | | | | - leave any cards you do not need at home or at least |
| though is that the card has been "swiped" for | | | | in a very safe place. No need to carry them around |
| payment, not once but twice. So your card details are | | | | with you if you don't need them |
| now being stored in a magnetic card reader which can | | | | - make sure not to simply leave any credit card slips |
| then be downloaded to a computer for use. | | | | lying or do not simply throw them in the local trash can |
| To prevent this from happening on your account - or | | | | - do check your statements on a regular basis to |
| rather not to prevent, but to be aware - is to check up | | | | make sure there is no strange expenses on there |
| your statements very regularly. Not only to check | | | | - if you are moving home then do let your credit card |
| them but go through them very carefully too. Thieves | | | | company know well in advance of your move |
| often make very small transactions to try to fool us | | | | So that's it in a nutshell - some simple but effective |
| into thinking nothing about them, so its sensible to query | | | | measures you can take to reduce all possibilities of |
| even small transactions on your statement. | | | | fraudulent activity upon your account. |