Online banking
has really simplified the way business is conducted through the web. Modern
financial institutions equip customers with a number of options when it comes
to making payments online. Websites themselves have become very sophisticated
to help people to make quick purchases online through the use of debit and
credit cards. Unfortunately, with money around, a scam can never be far away
and users need to be very careful of while using their plastic cards online.
If you feel that
you just became the victim of credit card theft, then you need to immediately
file a fraud report to limit any further damage that might occur. Credit card
fraud could happen in a number of ways. So the first step would be to check
your bank statements in thorough detail over the last 5 months. If you find
unknown or unauthorized expenses featuring in it, you need to seek outside help
by filing a fraud report with multiple organizations.
Get a Replacement
If you worry
over credit card or debit card theft, the best solution is to go to the company
and file a fraud report with them. You let them know that your account could
have been compromised and that you would like to have a replacement. Get a new
card or ask them to issue a temporary one so that the old card can be deactivated.
If like to
continue using your credit card still keeping an eye out for any possible scam,
you could file fraud reports with a number of agencies. Your first stop should be the Internet Crime
Complaint Center, which is an agency started by the FBI and National White
Collars Crimes Division and is tasked with the job of looking into cyber crime
related scams.
You also need to
file a fraud report if you are going to contact the Federal Trade Commission.
They will monitor your card for any suspicious activity and give you regular
updates on the issue.
Similarly, you
should also file a fraud report with one of the three credit bureaus to monitor
your card.
By taking the
above precautions, you can be sure that scammers will find it very difficult to
use your card and then get away with the crime. A lot of people fail to realise
the dangers of credit card fraud. Some of them realize the scam only when they
get the bill and it would be as high as $20,000 sometimes and it would take the
customer months to pay off the whole amount, not to mention the interest which
itself would run to thousands of dollars.
Credit or debit
card theft could be easily avoided if the customer is very careful with the way
the card is being used. For instance, while visiting the ATM, make sure that
the slot where you place the card does not look a little out of place. Cyber criminal’s
place card skimmers under the slot which will read and copy all debit card
details used in the slot which includes the pin number. The skimmers would be
detachable and can be easily spotted if you are alert. Also make it a point to
never share your credit card details with anybody online. These precautions
could go a long way towards preventing most types of credit card related scams.
