| Credit card fraud may have already happened to you. | | | | you receive them. |
| You go to make a purchase on your charge card to | | | | - Maintain a separate record of your account numbers, |
| pay for dinner at a nice restaurant and your charge | | | | expiration dates and phone numbers for customer |
| card is denied - embarrassing, right? | | | | service. |
| You pull out another card and run it through the | | | | - Watch your transaction carefully and make sure you |
| machine and the same thing happens - uh oh! You got | | | | get the card back. |
| a problem - a big problem. | | | | - Never sign a blank receipt and make sure you draw |
| You keep hoping that your worst thoughts will not | | | | a line through any blanks on the receipt that you sign. |
| come true as you call the issuing bank or company to | | | | - Compare your receipts with your monthly statement. |
| find out what's going on. You find out that not only are | | | | If there are any discrepancies call the credit card |
| you over your limit on the card, but your 5 other | | | | company immediately. |
| charge cards are over the limit as well. | | | | - Check with your bank or issuing company to find out |
| The fact that you never had 5 cards to begin with is | | | | when they mail out new cards and look for them in the |
| even more troubling. Someone has taken credit out in | | | | mail. |
| your name and destroyed your ability to buy anything | | | | - Notify the companies of any change of address |
| on credit. Too late for you to be reporting fraud. | | | | promptly so that you maintain a continuity of your |
| It happens daily throughout the world - identity theft, or | | | | monthly statement. |
| more likely credit card fraud. And for the unfortunate | | | | If you should suspect anything out of the ordinary such |
| victim - you - the nightmare is just beginning. The fraud | | | | as a clerk mishandling your credit card or if you |
| statistics are alarming. Most victims rarely report | | | | accidentally left it for even a short time, don't hesitate; |
| something wrong until it's too late. | | | | get a monitoring service or identity theft protection |
| Here are some tips on fraud prevention and how to | | | | service to keep track of your credit. They will notify |
| avoid this life-altering catastrophe. | | | | you as soon as anything unusual happens to your |
| - Check your FICO score every six months through | | | | credit. |
| one of the credit reporting agencies: Experian, | | | | Report Fraud Immediately. |
| TransUnion, and Equifax. | | | | If your credit cards were lost, stolen or misplaced, call |
| - Do not give your charge card to anyone to use. | | | | the issuing credit card company and report credit card |
| - Do not give your credit card number to anyone over | | | | fraud or the event. Any further charges to your |
| the phone unless you are ordering something in which | | | | account after you report the loss will not be your |
| you originated the call and you are familiar with the | | | | responsibility. Keep the toll free numbers of all your |
| vendor. | | | | credit cards in a safe accessible place. |
| - Shred old credit card statement and any other | | | | Although the credit card fraud penalties are getting |
| statements with you account numbers or social | | | | more serious, that doesn't help you when you are the |
| security numbers on them. | | | | victim. |
| - Sign any new or renewal credit cards as soon as | | | | |