Owning a credit card is a true benefit for most individuals. Credit cards allow people to purchase items, both large and small, without the need to pay with cash. Credit cards also allow consumers to purchase expensive items that may not be affordable without the ability to pay gradually.
Credit cards do have many positive aspects. Not only have they helped advance the economy, but they have also improved ability for people to buy things they want and need. However, there is a certain amount of responsibility that credit card owners must accept so that they do not get into credit card trouble. The most obvious responsibility of a credit card owner is to make sure to not accumulate too much credit card debt. Yet, it is also extremely important to make sure to keep credit card numbers safe and secure.
Most people who watch television news or read local or national newspapers on a regular basis have heard about increased incidences of credit card number theft. This is a huge problem which is becoming more and more prevalent as people are increasing the frequency they use credit cards both in person an electronically over the Internet.
Following are some easy ways to help protect personal credit card numbers. Most of these tips are based on common sense, but they are all important to re-emphasize again and again.
Sign It
Many people receive new credit cards in the mail and without signing them, stick them in their wallets. This is not a good idea. If those wallets are stolen or lost, anybody can take the credit cards and forge signatures on them, making it very easy to use the credit cards before they are reported lost or stolen.
Don't Give Numbers to Strangers
It seems so obvious that it's not a good idea to give credit card numbers to complete strangers, but individuals do it all the time. When a solicitor calls on the telephone offering to sell something or asking for a donation, there are many unsuspecting individuals who willingly give their credit card information to the caller, not truly knowing who is on the other end of the phone. A good rule of thumb is to only use credit cards over the phone when the credit card holder initiates the call.
Get the Right Card Back
It's extremely common for a waiter in a restaurant to handle several credit cards at any given time, and to accidentally return the wrong credit card with a receipt to the incorrect person. Unfortunately in restaurants, many people do not take a few seconds to check and make sure they've put their own credit card into their wallet, and then they discover the mistake hours or even days later.
Shred Receipts and Statements
It has been increasingly uncommon for receipts from credit card purchases to show an entire credit card number. However, some still do and these receipts can cause potential problems for credit card holders. In addition to receipts, credit card statements normally do include entire account numbers, which can make it easy for potential credit card number thieves to obtain information. Knowing this, it's important to shred all paper (receipts, account statements, and any other document containing credit card information) prior to throwing it in the trash can.
Check Statements Carefully
Some people's credit card numbers have unknowingly been stolen from them, and the only way they find out is by carefully checking monthly credit card statements for unauthorized charges. Anyone who does not check credit card statements with a fine tooth comb every month may be paying for charges they never made. While this practice is not exactly a tactic for avoiding credit card number theft, it is a good idea on how to stop it if it does occur.
It's is the responsibility of credit card owners to do everything possible to ensure that their credit card numbers remain protected and private. This can usually be accomplished by following good common sense and adhering to simple tips on how to keep credit card information concealed as carefully as possible.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Secure Your Online Credit Card Transactions
It seems that everything can be managed online these days. Your credit cards are no exception. Just as you can use your credit cards to make purchases and pay bills over the internet for convenience, there are a number of other ways you can manage your credit card usage online. Some people feel using a credit card online is risky – but in most situations it's actually a more secure environment than when you give your credit card to your waiter or cashier in a retail establishment! Using some preventative measures, you can further reduce your online credit card usage risks. Here are some tips for using credit cards online securely:
Online Credit Card Applications
In order to apply for a credit card, the issuer requires several pieces of identifying information from you in order to determine your eligibility for a credit card. When you apply online from reputable websites, the information is encrypted and sent over a secure server. Check to make sure the URL contains “https” instead of the standard “http” as that indicates the use of a secure server. Using an online application is actually considered more secure for your financial information than sending it through the mail. When you place your card application in the mailbox, it's exposed to a number of people before it reaches the credit card company. There are many opportunities for people to steal the envelope – and your identity.
Online Account Access and Security Features
Most credit cards are now offering online access to your credit card account, statement, and payment history. This allows you to see transactions as they happen – and you can easily keep an eye on the account to make sure there are no unauthorized transactions occurring. In some cases, you can request that you get emailed or sent a phone text message whenever a purchase meets certain criteria (is over a certain dollar amount, for example), which gives you another layer of protection against unauthorized charges and identity theft.
Using Your Credit Card Online
Whenever using your credit card to shop online, you want to make sure you're shopping from a reputable website. Once you've verified that the URL shows “https” to indicate it's protected with SSL (secure soekets layer) you might also check for reports on the Better Business Bureau and/or RipOffReports.com to ensure that other consumers haven't had any problems with the retailer before making your purchase.
Be Aware of Phishing Phishing
is a term that describes the most common way for consumers to become victims of identity theft. In most cases, victims actually give up their personal data because they feel they're doing so on a secure site or through a secure email with their financial company – but it turns out that scammers send emails that appear to be coming from legitimate companies asking for personal information to confirm your account details. Never enter personal information based on an email you receive, or to win a prize. A credit card company or bank will never ask you to send personal information via email. If you are linked to a website from an email, don't enter your information. Call your banking institution because chances are, that email is a 'fake link' that brings you to a 'fake website' that looks exactly like your actual bank site! If you enter your information here, it goes right into the hands of fraudsters who will steal your identity. Using your credit cards online is safe as long as you take precautions to prevent fraud – just like you take precautions to keep your card safe when you go out shopping in person
Online Credit Card Applications
In order to apply for a credit card, the issuer requires several pieces of identifying information from you in order to determine your eligibility for a credit card. When you apply online from reputable websites, the information is encrypted and sent over a secure server. Check to make sure the URL contains “https” instead of the standard “http” as that indicates the use of a secure server. Using an online application is actually considered more secure for your financial information than sending it through the mail. When you place your card application in the mailbox, it's exposed to a number of people before it reaches the credit card company. There are many opportunities for people to steal the envelope – and your identity.
Online Account Access and Security Features
Most credit cards are now offering online access to your credit card account, statement, and payment history. This allows you to see transactions as they happen – and you can easily keep an eye on the account to make sure there are no unauthorized transactions occurring. In some cases, you can request that you get emailed or sent a phone text message whenever a purchase meets certain criteria (is over a certain dollar amount, for example), which gives you another layer of protection against unauthorized charges and identity theft.
Using Your Credit Card Online
Whenever using your credit card to shop online, you want to make sure you're shopping from a reputable website. Once you've verified that the URL shows “https” to indicate it's protected with SSL (secure soekets layer) you might also check for reports on the Better Business Bureau and/or RipOffReports.com to ensure that other consumers haven't had any problems with the retailer before making your purchase.
Be Aware of Phishing Phishing
is a term that describes the most common way for consumers to become victims of identity theft. In most cases, victims actually give up their personal data because they feel they're doing so on a secure site or through a secure email with their financial company – but it turns out that scammers send emails that appear to be coming from legitimate companies asking for personal information to confirm your account details. Never enter personal information based on an email you receive, or to win a prize. A credit card company or bank will never ask you to send personal information via email. If you are linked to a website from an email, don't enter your information. Call your banking institution because chances are, that email is a 'fake link' that brings you to a 'fake website' that looks exactly like your actual bank site! If you enter your information here, it goes right into the hands of fraudsters who will steal your identity. Using your credit cards online is safe as long as you take precautions to prevent fraud – just like you take precautions to keep your card safe when you go out shopping in person
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
A bank credit card is an extremely incredible and convenient piece of plastic with which one can purchase goods and services. An average American now holds up to eight bank credit cards. In order to qualify for a bank credit card, the applicant must be eighteen years of age and should have a good credit history.
U.S. banks offer various types of bank credit cards. After choosing the appropriate bank credit card, the consumer needs to submit a duly completed bank credit card application. An application and processing fee must also be paid along with the application. An individual can apply for a bank credit card online or through the phone. U.S. banks usually send bank credit card applications by ordinary mail, since the consumer is required to sign the applications upon receiving them. When bank credit card applications are transmitted online, there are more chances for fraud.
Most bank credit card applications include personal information about the consumer such as name, age, date of birth, marital status, applicant's current and previous addresses (only when the current address is less than two years), e-mail address, driver's license number, and social security number. To enter the employment details of the applicant, fields such as occupation, employer, position, household income, and source of other income are available. Bank account information is also included in the bank credit card applications. Moreover, the applicant needs to specify whether he is a citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S. If necessary, the details of the co-applicant/spouse are also required to be entered in bank credit card applications.
If the applicant is a student, in addition to the basic personal information, bank credit card applications have fields for entering student status, school name, graduation year, major, and campus telephone.
Once the bank credit card applications are completed and submitted, the bank will verify the details by contacting the consumer in person or through the given telephone numbers. The bank issues bank credit cards only when the consumer proves to hold a good credit record.
U.S. banks offer various types of bank credit cards. After choosing the appropriate bank credit card, the consumer needs to submit a duly completed bank credit card application. An application and processing fee must also be paid along with the application. An individual can apply for a bank credit card online or through the phone. U.S. banks usually send bank credit card applications by ordinary mail, since the consumer is required to sign the applications upon receiving them. When bank credit card applications are transmitted online, there are more chances for fraud.
Most bank credit card applications include personal information about the consumer such as name, age, date of birth, marital status, applicant's current and previous addresses (only when the current address is less than two years), e-mail address, driver's license number, and social security number. To enter the employment details of the applicant, fields such as occupation, employer, position, household income, and source of other income are available. Bank account information is also included in the bank credit card applications. Moreover, the applicant needs to specify whether he is a citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S. If necessary, the details of the co-applicant/spouse are also required to be entered in bank credit card applications.
If the applicant is a student, in addition to the basic personal information, bank credit card applications have fields for entering student status, school name, graduation year, major, and campus telephone.
Once the bank credit card applications are completed and submitted, the bank will verify the details by contacting the consumer in person or through the given telephone numbers. The bank issues bank credit cards only when the consumer proves to hold a good credit record.
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