Keep Your Credit Card Safe

Most people have at least one credit or debit card, and many people routinely carry them all.
The obvious problem is that if a person's wallet or purse is stolen or if all the cards are stolen it's a huge headache to inform the various credit card companies and banks and it may be too late to avoid incurring the charges that a thief runs up on those cards.

What is at least as bad is when the card owner does not realize for a long time that their card has been stolen. Thieves are now substituting similar-looking expired cards for the owner's original and it's likely the theft will go undetected until the next time the owner tries to use their card.

But there are ways for credit card owners to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of this card switcheroo:

1. Every time you take your card out, look at the name on it to verify that it's your card and not some stolen or expired card.

2. Every time you hand your card to anyone, a store assistant, waiter or pizza delivery guy, check that the card they give back to you is indeed your card.

3. Don't leave your purse or wallet lying around where someone can switch your credit cards.

4. To minimize the effects of a theft, try to carry only one credit or debit card in your wallet or purse. If you need to carry more than one, then consider carrying the extra card in some other location such as in a money belt, in a secure pocket that can be buttoned, zippered or Velcro'd closed, or even punch a hole in one corner of the card, run a cord through the hole and carry it around your neck! (provided you can do it without breaking the card and losing it.)

5. Finally, always keep a photocopy of each credit and debit card in a secure location so that you can quickly contact the credit card company or bank that issues the card with details.

Sure, it's a pain to have to do all this, but as long as you have money or credit, someone is going to want to take it away from you.