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1. Set one day a week to monitor your credit card statements
One suggestion that may seem obvious is to carefully review your credit card statements as soon as you get them. But once a month means it might be 29 days before you notice fraudulent behavior. Set a specific day once a week to review your statement. When you review your bill, if anything stands out as being questionable or suspect, investigate immediately to determine if it was one of your authorized purchases.
2. Sign up for real-time alerts
Most banks and credit card companies have real time notification services that allow them to contact you in the event of a purchase attempt deemed “unusual.” Go to your bank account or credit card home page and set a purchase limit on your debit/credit card. When a purchase attempt is made over that set dollar amount, your can choose to receive a text message notification, an email and/or a phone call to validate the purchase. The momentary embarrassment of having a declined purchase is quickly forgiven when the cardholder realizes their hard earned money is being watched over by their financial institution.
3. Keep your private information private
Unfortunately, there is a constant threat to your personal data whether you are on the go (cell phone, wallet, laptop) or at home (PC, home phone). Take extra precaution in giving information to unsolicited callers. The more you communicate, the more they learn. Many con artists make calls to unwitting consumers and are able to smoothly trick the listener into thinking that they are an authorized vendor. A simple rule: do not provide your passwords or personal information to unsolicited callers. When searching new websites, to ensure its security, make sure there is a closed lock symbol at the bottom right of the screen. Web addresses that begin with “https” are generally secure, and if you click on the lock symbol on the bottom right, it will display the same “https” address.
4. Routinely change passwords and make them strong
Creating strong passwords is important. Coming up with obvious passwords such as your birthdate or initials do not pass muster. Studies have shown that more than fifty percent of Internet users use weak passwords. If you create passwords using your address, birthday or Social Security number, and this information is acquired via cyber theft, all of your personal data becomes vulnerable. Be creative and make your passwords strong by using random combination of letters, number and symbols that have no connection to you or your family.
5. Subscribe to identity protection
What the bad guys’ malware does is sneak into private files, grab your credit card and personal information and sneak out. There are numerous Identity Protection companies who will monitor your credit cards, Social Security number and other data for a fee. Target is currently offering a free year of monitoring service through Experian . The service is legit and you will have the option to continue service at your expense after the complimentary 12 months.
