You’re at a restaurant out of town and you’ve just finished a great dinner. Your server comes back to the table with your credit card. She looks at you and says, “I’m sorry, but your card has been declined. You stare at her for a moment, while your mind immediately starts calculating how that could be – you have a $10,000 credit limit, and you’re not even close to hitting it. You pull out another card, hand it to her, and continue to wonder what happened… then it hits you. Your credit card number has been stolen and your card has been turned off by your credit card company for suspected fraudulent activity.
If this has ever happened to you, you know how violated you can feel that someone is using your card and spending money that is not theirs. Credit Card Theft can happen even when the card is still in your possession – the thief has obtained your number and security information and has created a new card with the same information. And it may just be the first step in obtaining other parts of your identity.
To best protect yourself from credit card theft, here are some “Do’s and Don’ts” when it comes to keeping your credit card information safe.
If you suspect your credit card has been compromised, call your credit card company or your financial institution immediately. They’ll turn your card off and tell you how to dispute the fraudulent charges.
Merrimack Valley Credit Union wants you to be as safe and informed as possible. If you’re not sure if your credit card information has been stolen, please call us and speak with a representative: 800-356-0067.
Category: Budgeting & Debt Reduction
Guess what? You’re not the only one with debt. Most people are juggling several different payment responsibilities each month: credit cards, car loans, store charge cards, gas credit cards, personal loans and even student loans.
Do you feel like just when you catch up…something hits your budget out of the blue? Like when you suddenly need new tires… or your refrigerator dies and you definitely need to replace it? Just when you think you’re on top of everything, new expenses seem to pop up.
Credit Card Theft can happen even when the card is still in your possession – the thief has obtained your number and security information and has created a new card with the same information. And it may just be the first step in obtaining other parts of your identity.