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Credit card fraud is rife these days and no, its not all on the internet as many of us think it is. Very often it occurs in a store or a restaurant, even though we may think this not to be possible. Lets look at the facts.

I personally have used my credit card many, many more times on the internet than in shops in the high street or in restaurants. On the internet I have had no problems ever. I have been defrauded when using my card at a gas station, however. So this goes to show that its certainly not the case that all fraud is on the internet. I trust the internet more, actually. Its not difficult for someone who works in a restaurant as a casual waiter or waitress to attain your card details by what is known as “skimming”.

No harm done, right? Well, it could be that the waiter skimmed your card not only for the actual payment but also to take your credit card details and you would not know any the better. The second skim is done via a magnetic card reader which can then be taken away and downloaded onto a computer.

The only way to be sure this has or is not happening to you is to regularly check your card statements. Often thieves will make very small transactions so you are not aware of them, so its wise to go through your statement carefully.

Banks and institutions do have in place much greater security measures and will also often compensate in full if you have been the unfortunate victim of fraud, but this is no reason for complacency. I did not receive any compensation due to some issues that are not worth discussing here, so its sensible not just to presume you will be fully compensated.

Here are a few things you can do to limit your risk:

- any thing other than your credit card statements or any other valuable document pertaining to your credit card you should shred or burn. Do not just simply throw it in the bin and presume it will be safely disposed of

- if you are asked to verify some of your credit card details over the telephone, you need to question this seriously. Who is the caller and why do they need your details and do you trust this person enough to provide the details?

- do not lend your credit card out to anyone unless you trust them implicitly

- leave any cards you do not need at home or at least in a very safe place. No need to carry them around with you if you don’t need them

- do not leave any credit card slips lying around or do not just simply throw them in the bin

- keep your card receipts and check them regularly against your statements

- if you are relocating, do let your card companies know about this well in advance

So that’s it in a nutshell – some simple but effective measures you can take to reduce all possibilities of fraudulent activity upon your account.

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