A fairly straightforward and simple way for a thief who has knowledge of credit card fraud to "make a living" is by stealing credit card numbers, at least for a short period. Now, you may be thinking you are very safe but lets look at some facts.
I have used my own credit cards on the internet thousands of times without any issues but even though I use my cards in stores and restaurants far less, I have been defrauded this way - in a gas/petrol station as a matter of fact. I will happily go on using my cards on the internet on a daily basis but would be more wary of using them offline.
What is skimming? This is where when you hand over you card to a store keeper or whomever and they take it to make payment for your goods or the services you have been given. However, instead of only swiping your card for the one transaction you made, they will swipe the card into a card reader which can then be taken off premises and the data downloaded to a computer or other storage device.
To prevent this from happening on your account - or rather not to prevent, but to be aware - is to check up your statements very regularly. Not only to check them but go through them very carefully too. Thieves often make very small transactions to try to fool us into thinking nothing about them, so its sensible to query even small transactions on your statement.
Banks and institutions do have in place much greater security measures and will also often compensate in full if you have been the unfortunate victim of fraud, but this is no reason for complacency. I did not receive any compensation due to some issues that are not worth discussing here, so its sensible not just to presume you will be fully compensated.
Here are a few things you can do to limit your risk:
- any thing other than your credit card statements or any other valuable document pertaining to your credit card you should shred or burn. Do not just simply throw it in the bin and presume it will be safely disposed of
- do not be taken in by phone calls asking you to verify credit card details over the phone as you may inadvertently be giving away all the information required to defraud you
- do not lend you credit cards to anyone unless you trust them implicity
- leave any cards you do not need at home or at least in a very safe place. No need to carry them around with you if you don't need them
- do not leave any credit card slips lying around or do not just simply throw them in the bin
- do check your statements on a regular basis to make sure there is no strange expenses on there
- if you are moving home then do let your credit card company know well in advance of your move
Simple ways to keep your credit card safe and your money secure, so its just a matter of being aware and remembering just how easy it is to be a victim of credit card fraud.
I have used my own credit cards on the internet thousands of times without any issues but even though I use my cards in stores and restaurants far less, I have been defrauded this way - in a gas/petrol station as a matter of fact. I will happily go on using my cards on the internet on a daily basis but would be more wary of using them offline.
What is skimming? This is where when you hand over you card to a store keeper or whomever and they take it to make payment for your goods or the services you have been given. However, instead of only swiping your card for the one transaction you made, they will swipe the card into a card reader which can then be taken off premises and the data downloaded to a computer or other storage device.
To prevent this from happening on your account - or rather not to prevent, but to be aware - is to check up your statements very regularly. Not only to check them but go through them very carefully too. Thieves often make very small transactions to try to fool us into thinking nothing about them, so its sensible to query even small transactions on your statement.
Banks and institutions do have in place much greater security measures and will also often compensate in full if you have been the unfortunate victim of fraud, but this is no reason for complacency. I did not receive any compensation due to some issues that are not worth discussing here, so its sensible not just to presume you will be fully compensated.
Here are a few things you can do to limit your risk:
- any thing other than your credit card statements or any other valuable document pertaining to your credit card you should shred or burn. Do not just simply throw it in the bin and presume it will be safely disposed of
- do not be taken in by phone calls asking you to verify credit card details over the phone as you may inadvertently be giving away all the information required to defraud you
- do not lend you credit cards to anyone unless you trust them implicity
- leave any cards you do not need at home or at least in a very safe place. No need to carry them around with you if you don't need them
- do not leave any credit card slips lying around or do not just simply throw them in the bin
- do check your statements on a regular basis to make sure there is no strange expenses on there
- if you are moving home then do let your credit card company know well in advance of your move
Simple ways to keep your credit card safe and your money secure, so its just a matter of being aware and remembering just how easy it is to be a victim of credit card fraud.
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