Most people with a bank account and credit card will have, by now, had some experience of a scam, with the intention of stealing or cloning your credit card or details. If you haven't you are in the minority and should count yourself lucky!
These days nothing is surprising, some people find that lump sums have been taken on their credit cards without them realising, and this can be done in a number of ways.
A common phenomenon for credit card fraudsters is the use of cash machines to their advantage. It is not uncommon for you to be taken for a fool completely unawares, these days there are warnings on cash machines about devices used by thieves but most of them are so good they are undetectable. Some are so extreme that a whole new front is applied to the cash point complete with a camera ready to record your PIN number.
Make sure you check the cash point carefully when you are using it – some cameras can be the size of a needle! And make sure you shield your pin number – without this, thieves can't get very far with your card details.
But scams don't end there. If you have the internet and an email account then you may have experienced fake emails from your bank asking you to confirm your account details. You may even receive multiple emails from banks that you are not even a customer with! Fraudsters really will try anything to get their hands on your cash!
But be careful – your bank will not usually email you, and if they do they should address you by your name not as 'customer' and many will give you the last four digits of your account number so you can be sure it is genuinely your bank.
Some fraudsters go as far as to have the bare faced cheek to call and ask for your account details whilst pretending to be your bank or credit card provider. DO NOT give this information to anybody – your bank or credit card provider would not ask you to hand over this information on the phone!
Other, more 'traditional' types of credit card fraud include the use of fake paper applications, whereby a thief gets hold of enough details to apply for a credit card in your name, and then merrily send off applications behind your back, and before you know it you have five credit cards in your name.
With so many scams around you would be forgiven for never trusting or talking to anyone, but living like that is no fun. Advice is to be extra vigilant about keeping your PIN and other personal details private.
Getting a credit report can also help you keep track of fraudsters, especially whether anyone has falsely applied for credit in your name. So, keep an ear to the ground and your credit card in a safe place and you should be able to avoid falling for fraudsters' increasingly clever tricks.
