Dr. Kavita
Credit cards were originally created to make life easier, shopping convenient, and travelling stress-free. But sadly the current situation of credit card users is far from being stress-free or easy or even convenient for that matter.
Credit card fraud has witnessed an unprecedented boost in the past few years and that is definitely not helping consumers in any positive way. Seeing how common these frauds have become, it is high time to take some precautionary steps and safeguard ourselves from being cheated and conned. Here are there tips to protect yourself from credit card fraud:
Be extra vigilant
There may be many people who will consider you as being paranoid, but being extra vigilant about your credit card has its own benefits. Do not allow your card to leave your sight even for a split second when you are shopping and have handed over your card to the cashier to be swiped. Do you know a small sleight of the hand and your card could be scanned through an “illegal reader” right in front of your eyes? Some gas pumps have hidden scanners that can record your number if you are not vigilant.
Similarly keep a lookout for your card when the waiter takes it to the billing counter in a restaurant. Avoid handing over your credit card to any employee when you are staying in a hotel and insist on making that trip to the billing counter yourself.
Do not leave your credit card unattended even for a minute. You really cannot trust anyone when it comes to credit cards. All it takes is a second to click a snap of your credit card and store it away on a cell phone for future use.
Be smart when shopping online
Online shopping is the most preferred mode of shopping nowadays and that may be because we are increasingly accustomed to getting things done at our fingertips. But this sort of extreme convenience can often bring in some unwanted side effects as well, like online phishing of your credit card details and ensuing misuse and fraud.
Do not use your credit card online unless you have a basic knowledge about security certificates of online shopping sites. Reputable and safe websites will have a SSL certificate displayed clearly, especially in close proximity to the pay button. Make sure that you recognize a SSL certificate and also check for https in the browser.
Do not be naïve
In a single day, you might be receiving at least a few e-mails and text messages that pretend to act as warning messages about a supposed fraud/unauthorized access to your bank account. These messages will typically ask you to login via a link in the message and will also ask you to update your bank account details by visiting your bank website using that link, in order to prevent further damage. Do not be naïve enough to click on such fraud links, because these could be phishing attempts by fraudsters who want to get their hands on your credit card and bank details. Though the site that you visit via these links may closely resemble your bank website, the truth is that this site is merely a clever imitation.
Most importantly, monitor your credit card activity every single day. Most credit card companies will give you access to an online area where you can check your transactions and monitor activity. This is the best place to start practicing safety.
Hopefully, these three tips will help you stay safe while using your credit card.
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