Federal laws and industry practices will cover all or most of your losses if a thief uses your credit card or debit card for unauthorized purchases or withdrawals, especially if you promptly alert your card issuer to any problem. But even if you're fully protected against loss, you should take some simple precautions.
Protect your credit and debit cards and card numbers, including any PINs (personal identification numbers). For example, never give your credit card or bank account information in response to an unsolicited phone call, no matter how nice or official the person may sound. Never write your PIN on your card or on a piece of paper in your wallet.
If you are not interested in credit card solicitations that arrive in the mail, "don't just throw them away—shred or tear them up first," says Joan Rinehart, an FDIC Senior Consumer Affairs Specialist. "Thieves often look for credit card solicitations in the trash and try to use them to get credit cards and make purchases in someone else's name."
Check your card statements as soon as they arrive and promptly report any suspicious transactions.
Finally, if your card is lost or stolen, immediately contact the fraud departments at the three major credit bureaus (Equifax at 800-525-6285, Experian at 888-397-3742, and TransUnion at 800-680-7289) so they can set
up roadblocks if a thief tries
to open or change accounts in your name.
