by Joseph Kenny | 09/28/09

Credit card fraud is a real fear these days. If someone gets their hands on your credit card or even on your credit card information then they could start racking up charges on your card all over town. This could create a major hassle for you.

So how do you avoid credit card fraud when every time you hand it over to someone to make a purchase you could be at risk? How do you shop safely online? How do you keep yourself safe? With the following tips and a good dose of common sense you will be able to take real steps toward protecting yourself from credit card fraud.

Be Careful With Your Card

You do not want to carry your credit card around with you unless you will need it. You cannot lose a credit card or its information if you do not have that card on you. Always sign new credit cards as soon as you receive them, and never leave your credit card lying around either on its own or in a purse or wallet. This is just asking for trouble.

Protecting Your Information During Transactions

Being careful with your card encompasses all the advice to prevent credit card fraud, but here it means to be careful with the card itself. Do your best not to let your credit card out of your sight, and any time you hand it to someone to pay for something then make sure that it is back in your possession as quickly as possible. When you do hand it over then block the information on it so no one can see it or take a picture of it. The longer your credit card is out of your sight the more likely it is that someone might be able to get your information. Of course, you never hand your card to anyone if you feel unsure about an establishment.

Avoid giving your credit card information over the phone. Only do this when you are the one who made the call and when you are sure of the company that you called. Never give your number to someone who called you. You cannot be sure of their true intentions, and no one from a valid company would call to ask for this information.

When you are online then do not give your credit card information to any website that is not secure. Also, do not give out your credit card information through emails, in response to emails, or to any website that had its link in an email. You want to be the one typing in the valid address of a secure website before you even think about giving your credit card information.

Covering Your Tracks

Your credit card information can be found places other than your card so you have to be careful here too. You need to shred any applications for credit cards that you get because they may have personal information on them. You need to be careful with your receipts as well. Any documentation related to your credit card should either be closely guarded or destroyed.

Preventing credit card fraud means being careful with your information. You never give the card or its information out unless you know exactly who you are giving it to. Then you shred any documentation that has the information before you dispose of it so no one with a penchant for garbage and a lot of free time finds it.