Basic Security Measures
Most credit card providers will offer a leaflet detailing basic security guidelines to prevent fraudulent payments on a card, including basic security measures such as keeping your PIN number secret; being cautious while using Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) or Chip and PIN facilities; keeping your cards with you at all times; being aware of online phishing scams and taking sensible precautions while shopping on the internet (see Online Security Measures).
Keep your card provider up-to-date
If you change your address, you must tell your bank, any credit providers and utility suppliers as soon as possible. One of the easiest ways a criminal can steal your identity is by intercepting your mail. When you apply for a credit card, the card issuer requires only a few utility bills to prove your identity and verify your address. If you forget to tell credit companies that you have moved, the new house owners can use your bills and apply for credit in your name. For the same reason, you should shred any old paperwork and cut up old credit cards before throwing them away. It is surprisingly common for criminals to go through your rubbish in search of important documents they can use to steal your identity.
Check your credit report
Every time you apply for credit, whether this is a credit card or a personal loan, your credit report will make a note. If you regularly check your credit report, you can ensure that nobody else is applying for credit under your name; if you notice unusual activity you are in a position to report it immediately.
Keep your credit card safe
Card skimming is surprisingly common. Whether you are in a restaurant, shop, garage or bar, you should ensure that the cashier does not take your card away. It is very easy for him or her to swipe it in an electronic data recorder and use your card details to shop online, by telephone or mail order – anywhere they do not require your PIN to verify payment.
Sensible Precautions
You should be careful with your credit card at all times. Try to ensure that it cannot be lost or stolen by keeping it with you in a zipped wallet, or locked securely in a safe. Ensure that you never tell anybody your PIN for your card nor passwords to an internet banking service. Make passwords hard to guess: never use birthdays or easy sequences of numbers such as 1234, and shield the keypad when using chip and PIN facilities, so that nobody is able to see the numbers you enter.
