The Christmas season is just around the corner and holiday shopping has already started. Retailers consider this part of the year as the best time to make profits. Identity thieves also find this season the most opportune time for them to make lots of money. Here are some tips to keep the thieves away and to see to it that they do not enjoy the holidays at your expense.
When making payments with the cashier, be alert of skimming. Open your eyes as the store clerk takes your card and swipes it through a device by the register. Be sure that that the machine is really the credit card reader and not something else. There is a device used that allows a thief to copy the information from the card’s magnetic strip and take away your information. Needless to say, purchases can then be charged against your card.
Compared with debit cards, credit cards are more secure and protected. When using a credit card, you can be safer if you use the same card for all of your holiday shopping. This will make tracking your every transaction as well as finding any suspicious activity easier. The best thing to do, of course, is to use cash because none of your personal information is associated it.
When using more than one credit card for your purchases, make sure that you regularly check each card’s activity. Check if all transactions that appear were made by you. If you find any discrepancy, do not waste a minute in contacting the card issuer so that you can file a dispute on the charge.
Thieves can also do some ATM tricks to carry out their actions. Follow the security and safety instructions that can be found posted on ATMs. Some thieves can manipulate a machine so that the card can be captured inside it. If this happens, be sure not to leave without reporting the matter to the bank or to any authorized ATM representative. The thief might just be watching, waiting for you to go, so he or she can get the card, stealing your PIN by using a small, previously hidden camera.
Look for secure websites when doing online transactions. One with the “https” in its URL address is secure. This assures you that your personal information is treated with care. Using special technology, your personal details cannot be stolen by computer hackers. It is best if you set limits to the amount of personal information that you provide online. The less personal information you upload, the less you become vulnerable to identity thieves.
You can enjoy your holiday shopping any way you want it, just always keep in mind that identity thieves are always “around the corner”. Do your best to stay safe and secure and get the best use of your money.
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