Using credit cards and building a credit score is an important part of everyday life. However, if your not careful, thieves can steal your credit cards and may even wreck your credit by stealing your identity. Here are five ways that you can keep your credit card safe.
Secrecy with Numbers and Passwords
Maintain a positive score and protect your credit cards by protecting your credit card number, pin number, and online account passwords. If you must write down any of this information, keep it in a secure place away from your credit cards. Do not leave your credit cards sitting out of your wallet where they will be vulnerable to thieves who may steal the information contained on them.
Report Lost or Stolen Credit Cards Immediately
As soon as you notice your wallet is missing, report it to the credit card company. This will allow them to halt any fraudulent purchases. They will also send you a new card, so the sooner you report the theft, the better.
Keep or Shred Receipts
While receipts don’t have all of your credit card information, it’s still best to keep them out of nefarious hands. If you need to keep receipts for your records, store them in a secure place. If not, shred them up before you toss them out.
Review Your Credit Score and Online Accounts
By reviewing your credit score frequently, you can dispute negative marks to keep a positive score. When checking your credit card accounts online, skim through the charges to make sure no fraudulent purchases exist. If they do, dispute them with the credit card company immediately.
Sign the Back of Your Card
This is one of the easiest things you can do to protect against illegal use of your card.
Protecting your credit score and credit cards can seem like a daunting task, but if you are diligent in your day-to-day life, you can easily stay on top of your accounts and keep your credit card safe.
