December 01, 2009
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News: Don't Get Robbed Of Your Joy
Holiday shopping has the potential to bring joy and sorrow. The excitement of picking out that perfect gift for that special someone often finds shoppers in a quandary about how to manage those credit card payments in January. There are other potential situations where sorrow can over shadow a joyous holiday season; debit card, credit card, and identity thieves. The Federal Trade Commission received over 1.2 million credit card fraud and identity theft complaints. Statistics show that this type of fraud grew 22 percent last year and it is expected that 2009 figures will be significantly higher. As consumer spending increases for the holiday season, the presence of thieves also increase.
There are several ways that thieves take advantage of credit card customers. These thieves particularly seek out busy stores with large crowds where they can more easily blend into the crowd and create confusion to distract you from focusing on your own protection. They also prey on individuals who become complacent in protecting their personal information. Do you retain those credit card receipts or do you just throw the receipt in the trash or leave it lay on the restaurant table. Despite the fact that most receipts only list the last four digits of the card number, there are ways that thieves can track those transactions back to card information. Don't take any chances…protect your receipts. Here a few valuable tips on how you can protect your information.
1. Protect your personal information from others' eyes. Be aware of individuals nearby when you are using debit and credit cards at ATM machines and block the keypad view when entering your PIN number. 2. When shopping online with debit and credit cards, don't use commonplace passwords that pertain to mother's maiden name, birth dates and cities, or part of your social security number. This type of information is easily accessible. Make up unique passwords and protect them in a safe place. 3. Shred any debit or credit card receipt you don't need and never throw them out in a public trash can. Keep receipts in a safe place at home. 4. Check your bank and credit card statements regularly. During this busy shopping holiday, it is best to check every day. Notify your bank immediately with any suspicious transactions. 5. If you're going away for a few days, have your mail held or picked up by a trusting individual.