The holiday season is among us.  Almost everyone is out shopping for gifts for friends and loved ones.  While most are enjoying the festivities, thieves are enjoying it more.  The holiday season is the prime time for credit card theft.

There are several ways that a thief can retrieve your credit card information.  A dishonest store clerk could write down your credit card number or make an extra imprint of your card.  If you throw your credit card receipts away, a thief could dig through the trash and retrieve your credit card number off of the receipt.  Thieves can also steal your credit card information over the telephone.  They can call and tell you that you have won a grand prize or vacation and all you need is your credit card number and expiration date in order to claim your prize.

There are many tips to prevent credit card theft.  Always sign your card as soon as you receive it in the mail.  Do not keep your credit cards in your wallet.  Keep them in a separate place.  Be sure and write down their numbers, expiration dates, and the mailing address and phone numbers so that if they are stolen, you can report them to the credit card company immediately.  Keep an eye on your card when you hand it to the cashier and retrieve it promptly after the transaction.  Destroy or void all copies or incorrect receipts.  If your credit card number is written on your receipt, color over it with a black pen or marker so that the number can not be read.  Open your credit card billing statements in a timely manner and look over your transactions every month to make sure the information is accurate.  Immediately report any questionable transactions to your credit card company.  If you are moving, report your new address to the credit card company before you move.  Never give your credit card information out over the phone unless it is to a reputable company.  If you are unsure if the company is legit, call the Better Business Bureau.

If your credit card is lost or stolen call the credit card company immediately and report it.

If you report the card to the card issuer as lost or stolen, you are not required to pay for the fraudulent charges.

If there is a questionable charge on your billing statement, send a certified letter to the credit card company’s billing error address provided on your statement.  Report the number on your card, the expiration date, and the charges in question.  You have 60 days after the bill was mailed to report any questionable charges to the creditor.  If the letter is sent certified mail, you will have proof that the letter was received.

Many people avoid the malls and super stores and do their shopping online.  Your credit card information can be stolen on websites as well.  If you are planning to purchase items online, make sure there the web address reads “https” before the “www”.  This means it is a secure site.  Most secure web addresses have a lock on them to show that they are secure.  You could also use a reputable third party payment site such as PayPal to make your purchases.

Don’t let ‘scrooges’ take advantage of you this holiday season by stealing your credit card information.  Utilize these simple steps to protect yourself so you can spend your money to spread holiday joy.

by Jana Hughes

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