Credit Card Fraud

Credit Cards are a convenient payment method, although they do carry risks. Credit and charge card fraud costs cardholders and issuers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. While theft is the most obvious form of credit and charge card fraud, it is not the only way fraud occurs. A more subtle form of fraud is misappropriation. The use of your card number (not the card itself) without your permission. Misappropriation may occur in a variety of ways. Examples are:

* A phone caller says that you need only provide your card number and its expiration date to qualify for a special discount vacation

* A thief rifles through trash to find discarded receipts or carbons to use the card numbers illegally

* A dishonest clerk makes an extra imprint from your credit or charge card for his or her personal use

Fraudulent credit card information or credit cards themselves are usually obtained through:

* Fake Web Sites

* Theft

* Pick Pocketing

* Phishing

* Credit Card Swapping at ATM Machines

* Skimming

By being aware of the risks involved, knowing the types of credit card fraud and by following below guidelines you can protect yourself from credit card fraud:

* Destroy your expired cards

* Immediately sign new cards

* Don't keep your PIN in your wallet

* Treat credit cards as if they were real money

* Lost or stolen cards should be reported immediately

* Be cautious when giving credit card information to websites or unknown individuals

* Verify transaction on your credit card statement with your receipts

* Keep an eye on the credit card when making transactions in shops

* Don't sign a blank credit card receipt

* Don't borrow your credit cards - if a friend wants to buy something on the internet and needs a credit card, be with him when doing a transaction or you do the transaction for him (he might become a victim of credit card fraud, due to lack of knowledge).

* It doesn't matter whether or not their website is encrypted. Encryption means that your data is secure between your computer and the merchant, not between your computer and the credit card processor. The merchant will have your card number regardless.If you're buying from an unfamiliar or likely untrustworthy store, consider using a temporary/virtual card number that card companies like Citibank provide.

COMMON TYPES OF CREDIT CARD FRAUD

What are the common types of credit card fraud? Counterfeit Credit Cards, Account Take Over and Skimming. We are going to look at each one and describe it.

Account Take-Over

Obtaining personal information for a thief is just about the same as if he found a gold mine. If such occurs, the thief does not even need your credit card to empty your bank account. He phones your credit card company and changes your address information. Your current credit card will be reported stolen by him and he will request a new to be issued or he will order a second credit card on his name, pretending he is YOU, the authorized credit card holder, on the phone. This card will then be sent to the address which he changed before or he will obtain instructions where to collect it. Your statements also will be sent to this new address, making you unaware of the fraud. If you don't get statements on a monthly basis at about the same day, you should contact your financial institution and check your records on file. Ask for address change or if any information has been changed without your direct approval.

A thief can also steal your new credit card when it still is in your postal box or anywhere on the way between the bank and you. This can be an organized crime scenario involving assistants, such as a postman who intercepts your mail before it is delivered to your address. A fraudster may even get a hold of information when credit cards are issued to a particular address, waits near your mailbox and takes your post. So if you get a notification about an important delivery, collect it as soon as possible, because the longer you wait, the bigger the chance for a fraudster to intercept it.

Counterfeit Credit Cards

Counterfeit or altered credit cards is in short, duplicating legitimate credit cards which are then used for fraudulent activities. Latest technology is used in accordance with lamination and embossing to create realistic looking credit cards. To the untrained eye these will appear real and you will not be able to recognize the difference, since a complete hologram as well as the magnetic strip is included in the fake credit card. How to identify such will be explained a little bit later, below.

Card Not Present

Obtaining credit card and personal information for unauthorized usage of such information for fraudulent activities over the internet, phone or mail.

Credit Card Skimming

Electronic card reader, Skimmer, is used in stores legitimately when processing a transaction. However in the hands of a thief such a tool can be used to gather information for later usage in criminal activities. Usually a small electronic device is plugged into the real electronic reader and now gathering information of everyone who purchased at the store or done a money request at the ATM machine. Or a portable skimmer is used to quickly swipe your card through the magnetic reader while you are not looking. Such information will be used for later unauthorized purchases or making of a new counterfeit credit card. Usually done in restaurants or similiar institutions where you usually temporary lose sight of your credit card.