We have all seen and heard enough accounts about how online accounts get compromised or credit cards get stolen. When you have multiple credit cards and are traveling it is especially important to make sure you know all the security measures and protection you have in place for your cards. It is not uncommon for people to lose their cards or find that they have incurred a large bill for something which they did not spend on. When using a credit card, you would know that there are certain codes and numbers provided to you to ensure that it does not get misused. Still despite our best intentions, information does get leaked out and people do lose out on their money and their cards. When you have a proper card and you wish to shop online you would want to make sure the transaction is happening through secure channels, the same goes for when you apply for a new one.
You should know that the internet is one of the most common grounds for credit card frauds. There are ever so many people who end up losing money on their cards because they did not use it right or they swiped it at an outlet which was not reliable. There are also cases of identity theft where their card information was stolen and misused by scammers. It is extremely important to be careful where you use your card and who you give your information to. Even when communicating with bank employees or websites go through the proper channels and authentication procedures to ensure your credit card information stays secure.
A common way of leakage of credit card information is through teleshopping or online shopping. Many a time people do not check if a site is truly reliable and simply shop and spend money through these channels. The more you indulge in these activities the more careful you have to be. Make sure that all your banking happens through secure channels.
If you have a feeling your card has been swiped wrongly by someone immediately alert the bank and have it blocked. There is often proper protection against fraudulent spenders and identity theft for Visa and MasterCard but the investigation process is often rather time consuming and requires in dept research. Do not take chances with websites that appear less than legitimate to you and always cross check through a friend or look for a number or address you can revert to when shopping online.
