How to steer clear of credit card fraud

On typical Aussies collectively place about $ 280 billion of transactions by way of their credit cards every single year. Probabilities are some of those transactions are fraudulent. How can you keep away from being a victim?

Even though there’s no foolproof way to guarantee that you will never ever be a victim of credit card fraud, there are techniques to reduce your risk. These incorporate:

• Don’t throw personal documents into the bin. If you are disposing of any documents that include personal particulars, make certain you shred or otherwise destroy them (soaking in water, for instance) just before tossing them into the bin.  Buying a property shredder can be a great investment!


• Hold you mail secure as nicely. Acquiring a lock for your letter box (or utilizing a PO box) can also be a great notion. And if you are going to be away, make confident you either put a hold on your mail or have a person collect it for you of8.


• Study your own mail! How usually do you get a credit card statement and toss it onto a “to be study later/never” pile? Get into the habit of opening all your monetary statements and checking them carefully for any sign of suspicious activity. That goes for bank and superannuation accounts as nicely.


• Verify your credit history routinely. Attempt getcreditscore.com.au or mycreditfile.com.au to obtain a free of charge copy of your credit history. This will alert you to any attempts to apply for credit in your name.


• Be cautious when purchasing on the web. We all adore purchasing on-line – but be cautious about who you share your credit card details with. Far better however, use a secure payment method such as Paypal.


• Hold the ATM keypad covered when entering your PIN, and be conscious of who is about you.


• Constantly know where your card is. New NFC technologies (e.g. tap and go) makes petty theft very straightforward if an individual comes across your card. So maintain it secure at all times and if you lose it, report it straight away.


• Keep protected. Make confident you maintain the virus and safety software program on your computers and mobile devices updated. And it goes without having saying to steer clear of clicking on hyperlinks in scam emails.


• Never give credit card particulars more than the phone. If you want to make a payment or want to donate to a charity, do it on the internet by means of a safe payment strategy.

If you think that you may have been scammed, let your economic institution know ASAP and report it to each the police and the ACCC.

How to steer clear of credit card fraud