How to Catch Credit Card Scammers

by Lynn Holmgren

Overview

According to the Federal Trade Commission, 8.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2005. Credit card scammers leave victims with their credit ruined and their lives severely disrupted. Stopspaminpacifica.com reports that the average victim of this crime will spend about two years and nearly $3,000 to repair the damages. Avoid becoming the victim yourself by protecting your personal information, learning to identify scams and reporting anything suspicious.
Credit Card Scams

Step 1

Keep careful records of all of your credit card transactions, paying close attention to your monthly statements.
Step 2

Order a copy of your credit report once or twice a year to check up on your accounts.
Step 3

Look for accounts that don't belong to you on your credit report or charges you didn't make on your credit card statements, and alert the credit reporting agency or your credit card company. Also be suspicious. if you fail to receive your credit card bills or or if you receive credit cards that you never applied for.
Step 4

Call the credit card company immediately if you suspect a theft, so they can deactivate your card and contact the authorities to trace the thief. You may also want to report the credit card fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.

Phishing Emails

Step 1

Learn to identify phishing emails that ask you to verify your credit card information. Phishing emails are fraudulent communications purported to come from a reputable source (such as a bank or online auction site).
Step 2

Take a close look at the URL address (but don't click on it) to see if it is the usual one you get correspondence from with this company. Look for odd numerals or letters that will identify it as a phishing email.
Step 3

Access your account as you normally would in a new browser window. Learn if there is really a problem or not that requires you to provide further information.
Step 4

Report the phishing email to the appropriate company so that they can crack down on the culprits and try to prevent it from happening again.

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Shred any documents that have your account information on them before throwing them away.
Shred any documents that have your account information on them before throwing them away.