| You can be a credit card fraud victim even if your | | | | the reports with the Federal Trade Commission. |
| card has never left your sight. Thieves and hackers | | | | Contact the three credit reporting bureaus. TransUnion, |
| have figured out how to help themselves to your | | | | Experian, and Equifax will place an alert or flag an |
| money, and you need to minimize the damage if it | | | | account signifying possible fraudulent activity. They will |
| happens to you. Here are a few tips. | | | | contact you before any new lines are opened. You |
| The first thing you need to do is to contact the card | | | | can also ask to have an account frozen; your credit |
| issuer. Most have a 24 hour hotline setup just for this | | | | history can't be reviewed by lenders, and you cannot |
| purpose. They don't want strangers spending your | | | | open any new lines of credit. |
| money any more than you do! By law, the most you | | | | Finally, stay on top of everything you have done to this |
| would be responsible for is $50 per credit card, and | | | | point. It's very important that you start or continue to |
| then you will be responsible for no further unauthorized | | | | keep a close eye on all your credit card statements, |
| charges to the account. However, if you lose an ATM | | | | bank accounts and credit reports. |
| or debit card, you could lose everything if you wait too | | | | Although stolen or lost credit cards remain the biggest |
| long in contacting the issuer. | | | | source of fraud, online hackers are becoming a very |
| Next, you'll want to contact the authorities. File a report | | | | close second. Don't become a credit card fraud victim. |
| with the police. Make sure to get a copy of the police | | | | Watch your credit and money closely! |
| report for proof of the unauthorized charges. Also file | | | | |