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Guarding Against Fraud
Here are some tips to help
protect yourself from credit and charge card fraud.
Do:
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Sign your cards as soon as they arrive. |
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Carry your cards separately from your wallet, in a zippered
compartment, a business card holder, or another small pouch.
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Keep a record of your account numbers, their expiration dates,
and the phone number and address of each company in a secure
place. |
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Keep an eye on your card during the transaction, and get it back
as quickly as possible. |
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Void
incorrect receipts. |
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Destroy carbons. |
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Save receipts to compare with billing statements. |
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Open bills promptly and reconcile accounts monthly, just as you
would your checking account. |
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Report any questionable charges promptly and in writing to the
card issuer. |
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Notify card companies in advance of a change in address.
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Don't:
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Lend your card(s) to anyone. |
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Leave cards or receipts lying around. |
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Sign a blank receipt. When you sign a receipt, draw a line
through any blank spaces above the total. |
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Write
your account number on a postcard or the outside of an envelope.
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Give out your account number over the phone unless you're making
the call to a company you know is reputable. If you have
questions about a company, check it out with the
Better Business Bureau. |
If you think you've been the victim of fraud or a scam,
immediately follow these steps. The faster you contact the proper
authorities, the more likely you are to minimize the damage a
scammer can do to your identity, your credit, and your bank account.
Step 1: Close any
affected accounts
Contact the genuine company or organization if you
believe you've given sensitive information to an unknown source
masquerading as that real company or organization. If you contact
the real company immediately, they might be able to lessen the
damage to you and others. Then:
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Speak with the security or fraud department about any fraudulently accessed or
opened accounts at every bank or financial institution you deal
with, including credit card companies, utilities, Internet
service providers, and other organizations that have your
personal information. |
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Follow up
with a letter and save a copy for yourself. When you open new
accounts use strong passwords, not passwords such as your
mother's maiden name, along with a new account number.
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Step 2: Change the
passwords on all of your online accounts
When you change your passwords or open new accounts,
use strong passwords.
Step 3: Place a
fraud alert on your credit reports
In the United States, contact these three credit bureaus:
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Equifax (800) 525-6285 |
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Experian (888) 397-3742 |
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TransUnion (800) 680-7289 |
For each of the credit bureaus:
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Get a copy of your report
(victims of ID theft can receive copies of their credit reports
for free) and ask that no new credit be granted without your
approval. |
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Make sure your account is flagged
with a "fraud alert" tag and a "victim's statement," and insist
that the alert remain active for the maximum of seven years. |
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Send these requests in writing
and keep copies for yourself. |
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Review the reports carefully.
Look for things like inquiries you didn't initiate, accounts you
didn't open, and unexplained debts. |
Outside of the United States, you can contact your bank or financial
institution, who can direct you to the relevant organization or
agency.
Step 4: Contact the
proper authorities
In the United States, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
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File a complaint.
If you are a victim of any type of identity theft, you can
report the theft by calling the FTC's toll-free Identity Theft
Hotline at (877) ID-THEFT or (877) 438-4338. Counselors will
advise you on how to deal with the credit-related problems that
can result from identity theft. |
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Download and print the FTC's Identity Theft affidavit.
Fill it out and send it to all the financial institutions at
risk to help minimize your responsibility for any debts incurred
by those who stole your identity. Your case will be entered in
the FTC’s nationwide "Consumer Sentinel" database of ID theft
cases, which helps law enforcement agencies find criminal
patterns and catch the thieves. |
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File a report with your local police department. Get a copy of the police report to
notify your bank, credit card company, and other creditors that
you are a victim of a crime, not a credit abuser. |
Depending on where you live, you might be required to file a report
in the jurisdiction where the crime actually took place.
Step 5: Record and
save everything
As you complete all these steps to clear up the
wrongdoing, always make print copies of documents for yourself,
including e-mail messages, written correspondence, and records of
telephone calls, and file them somewhere safe.
For telephone or in-person conversations, follow up
with dated confirmation letters to the organization, and save a copy
for yourself. State in the letter what was covered in the
conversation, and list any follow-up items that you or the
representative have committed to in the conversation.
Source:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre07.shtm
and
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/personal/fraud.mspx
Click on the links to below for the most information on Credit
Cards.
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