Crime & Safety
How to Prevent Credit Card Theft and Identity Theft
Here's some advice from various sources on how you can take steps to prevent your credit cards from being stolen and other forms of identity theft.
This advice on the Web may help you avoid credit card theft and other forms of identity theft, or prevent thieves from stealing more in case you do become a victim:
- Kiplinger: "How to Protect Yourself Against Credit Card Theft." One piece of advice: "You could carry your cards in a small pouch that’s separate from your wallet." (There's a convenience trade off there.)
- CreditCards.com: "10 things you should know about identity theft"
- Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: "Coping with Identity Theft: Reducing the Risk of Fraud" One piece of advice: "Keep a list or photocopy of all your credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, and investments—the account numbers, expiration dates and telephone numbers of the customer service and fraud departments—in a secure place (not your wallet or purse) so you can quickly contact these companies in case your credit cards have been stolen or accounts are being used fraudulently." (It should be pretty easy to copy your credit card numbers by putting them on a copy machine and copying both sides. If the paper jams on a public machine, just make sure you get it back.)
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