Guarding Against Fraud
Here are some easy steps you can take to protect yourself from fraud.
Do:
- Sign new cards as soon as you receive them.
- Keep your card account numbers in a confidential place.
- Check your cards periodically to make sure none are missing.
- Destroy and dispose of copies of receipts, airline tickets, travel itineraries, anything that displays your card numbers.
- Memorize your PIN.
- Check out unfamiliar companies by calling your state or local consumer protection office and the Better Business Bureau.
- Report suspicious telemarketing calls to the National Fraud Information Center Hotline, 1-800-876-7060
Don't
- Lend your card(s) to anyone.
- Leave cards or receipts lying around.
- Sign a blank receipt. When you sign a receipt, draw a line through any blank spaces above the total.
- Write your account number on a postcard or the outside of an envelope.
- 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 your local consumer protection office or Better Business Bureau.
Reporting Losses and Fraud
If you lose your credit or charge cards or if you realize they've been lost or stolen, immediately call the issuer(s). Many companies have toll-free numbers and 24-hour service to deal with such emergencies. By law, once you report the loss or theft, you have no further responsibility for unauthorized charges. In any event, your maximum liability under federal law is $50 per card.
If you suspect fraud, you may be asked to sign a statement under oath that you did not make the purchase(s) in question.
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