Protect Yourself from Being Victim to a Card Scam Part 1

Every year new scams happen which is multiplied as we see cash being used less and less as a form of payment and plastic on the increase. The ease of use and increase in the number of businesses accepting plastic is driving the increase. The downside to this is it gives more opportunities to fraudsters looking to operate a scam. Card fraud is a massive problem, costing the industry millions of pounds each year as well as the feel of violation felt by victims of fraud. There is the inconvenience of waiting for cards to be replaced and funds returned to your account as a result of the scam.

Don't be inconvenienced and fall victim to a fraud scheme victim by following our ten step guide to protect yourself and your personal information.

1. Personal details should always be kept secret

To avoid being a victim of credit card fraud ensure that your personal details are securely kept as possible. If there is one thing you can do to protect yourself from a scam it is to keep details safe. Chip and pin means the PIN number is needed for offline transactions so it is more important than ever to keep your PIN number to yourself, never tell anyone else as well as bank internet passwords. Also don't write down any financial information that is private. To solve an issue of trying to remember PIN numbers with the increasing number of cards you hold, then you can change them to something more memorable at your banks ATM. Just don't choose something that is obvious like date of births.

2. Use extra protection online

If you have a Visa or MasterCard then register for their online card protection schemes, Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode. These are free services, and once you have signed up, your password will need to be entered along with card details screens when purchasing from a website. This is a connection direct with your credit card company so the retailer doesn't get to see your credit card details, reducing the risk of fraud online. Most of the banks run a similar scheme for their debit cards so check with your bank.

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