eleven tips you should know when paying with a credit card as the world we live
in continues to develop into a more technologically advanced society there
are new risks to consider and be cautious of when it comes to shopping
and using credit cards since we've turned our currency into plastic and
digital numbers it can sometimes be easier to be scammed or robbed and it's
not just online shopping to be worrisome of often times these scams are happening
when credit card terminals the Machine you used to pay have been tampered with
this process is known as skimming thanks to engine Iko a credit card terminal
manufacturer we now have some tips on how to identify a skimmer as compared to
a standard terminal now keep watching for a few other tips on how to avoid a
scam and some tips on how to protect your credit card before we begin this
video don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more daily tips like this
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number 11 size skimming terminals are usually slightly larger than a regular
one you can tell them apart by the amount of space your card has at the top
or bottom the standard space is about one inch whereas the skimmer is about a
centimeter this can be further tested by noting the width of the Machine a
skimming device would have thicker rims though it might not be the easiest to
test without a ruler just comparing this image can give you an idea of the
difference number 10 dim screen when skimmers are inserted they often block
the highlighting mechanism on the terminal if you notice that it's dim
this could be a sign of a skimmer most terminals have a function that lights up
the buttons which is something you may not have noticed before the same goes
for the green light at the top of the device if this light is not on then it
may be blocked by a skimmer number nine operation errors frequent
operation errors are another sign that a skimmer may be in use skimmers often
affect the magnetic strip and can slow down the function of the terminal now
that you know what to look for in a credit card terminal that could be
scamming you here are some tips on how to keep your credit card information
safe number eight keep your account number to yourself there are all sorts
of ways scam artists can try to gain access to your credit card numbers this
is why you should keep practicing keeping all your information including
your account number private don't let anyone see your credit card when you are
out in public and never give your credit card number over the phone unless you
are taking it to a bank or to the service provider that you know you can
trust do not ever respond to an email that is
asking for your credit card information or other personal information even if
the email seems legitimate this is how a lot of scam artists tricked people into
giving out their information number seven
go paperless you may want to consider signing up for paperless statements and
doing all your payments and other banking online this will remove the
possibility of any of your personal banking information getting into the
wrong hands once you do this you should also shred
any documents that you have of your private or personal information it's
always better to be safe than sorry right number six
keep your bank up to date it is extremely important to keep all of your
information current if you move be sure to let your bank know your statements
and other males should always go to your new address so they don't end up in the
wrong hands you should also check with your bank and other service providers
that they all have the right contact information including your phone number
and email address you should do this on a fairly consistent basis
number five sign up for fraud alerts when you sign up for fraud alerts you
can protect yourself from getting scammed fraud alerts will alert you when
suspicious activity is occurring on one of your accounts and some alerts will
even notify you or contact you anytime a new account is made under your name this
is a great way to make sure that you're never scammed and in the event that
someone does try to steal your identity and create a new account under your name
or make a purchase using your credit card you'll be alerted
remember scammers and identity thieves can be extremely sneaky so it's best to
protect yourself from these scammers by signing up for alerts number four
receipts you should always be extremely careful with all of your receipts check
your receipts against your bills and statements to make sure that there are
no discrepancies and try to avoid throwing out receipts you should shred
the ones you don't need and file the rest in a safe and secure spot you
should always try to make sure that no one has access to any of your receipts
number three passwords keep all of your passwords to yourself although this
seems like common sense you might be surprised make sure that your password
is secure and that it has a good combination of letters and numbers don't
make passwords that contain any of your information that a friend or family
member would be able to guess for example avoid using your name family
members names birthdays addresses or any other information which someone else
might already know you should also be sure to change your passwords on a
regular basis and never use the same password for multiple accounts and of
course never ever give your password to anyone even if it's a close family
member it's just too risky number two review your account activity
this is something you should be doing on a regular basis you can check your
account activity by going online or even through your phone always stay up to
date with what's going on in your credit card statements and as we mentioned
earlier in this video you should also sign up for text or
email alerts for any suspicious or unusual credit card activity stay on top
of your credit card statements and always make sure that everything adds up
number 1 report lost cards immediately if you have misplaced your credit card
but aren't sure it's better to be safe than sorry in the event that that does
happen report your last card right away don't even take a minute to think about
it the longer you go without your credit card the better the chances are that is
landed in the wrong hands so always be sure to report any lost or stolen cards
immediately and if you suspect fraudulent activity is occurring you
should also report that right away to seems like common sense so now you know
some tips on spotting credit card terminals that could be stealing your
information as well as tips on how to protect your credit card it's time to
start implementing what you've learned into your daily life and even with these
tips it can still be difficult to decipher a real terminal from a skimmer
another good tip is to keep a separate debit card on-hand that only holds a
certain amount of funds set limits on your bank accounts so that it will
automatically cut off in block usage after a certain amount has been used
when paying for items in a store or restaurant never allow the employee to
take your card from you always handle your own transactions always check your
receipts carefully as they should always include an amount paid field if this is
empty fraud may be involved you can look into card insurance policies with your
bank sometimes there are programs that help protect clients from fraud and
offer reimbursements now that you know some tips on how to avoid scammers and
identity thieves and how to protect your credit card and
other private personal information what other tips do you have that weren't
mentioned in this video have you ever been a victim of a scam
or even a fraud let us know in the comment section below
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