Too many people divulge credit card information over the phone

Credit card fraud has become a very real and prevalent scourge in society, as more and people in Britain own credit cards. In fact, a recent survey by the online group PayPal indicates that one in five British workers admit to revealing confidential information over the telephone. This clearly demonstrates that workers in Britain desperately need to pay closer attention to when and where they divulge confidential information.

According to the survey, employees in Britain deemed the provision of confidential information online to be of lower risk: in fact, only 13 per cent of those who took part in the study said that revealing confidential information over the phone was a risk, compared to over 25 percent of participants who actually gave out confidential information over the phone.

Neil Edwards, head of financial planning at PayPal UK, commented, "It surprises me to hear how many people disregard the danger of providing bank and personal information over the phone while at work, sometimes in front of significant numbers of people." As a remedy, he suggested that consumers should make payments online to avoid exposing themselves to fraudsters.

In potentially unsafe areas – such as a busy workplace – not divulging confidential information is the first step towards the prevention of an attack of credit card fraud. However, if you do become a victim of credit card fraud, there are a number of basic actions you can take to prevent further misuse.

For instance, as soon as you realise your credit card has been misused in any context, make sure you report it to your credit card provider immediately. This minimises the damage done to your credit card, as once your provider is aware of the situation, you will not be held liable to any further misuse on the card. Credit card companies usually require oral confirmation of your credit card loss within seven days after it is first reported, and this should generally be followed by a written notice in order to make your telephone notice more effective.

Additionally, many reputable and established credit card providers will provide you with a detailed signed agreement when you sign up to their services; this way you can be sure to know what steps to take if your card is lost, stolen or the subject of misuse. However, if you do become a victim of credit card fraud or misuse, the stress that this may cause on your financial and emotional situation can make it difficult to take the right actions immediately. This is why prevention of credit card fraud is so important, so make sure you protect your personal financial information at all times.

Martin McAllister is an online freelance journalist. He lives in Scotland.