Preventing Card Fraud
Credit and debit card information is some of the most frequently compromised by theft or data breaches. Card fraud can occur online, from data breaches, through phone and email scams, by card theft and even mail theft. It’s important to protect your cards and anywhere else your card information can be found so you can reduce your risk of card fraud. We have stringent security measures in place to protect your card information, but our protections go even farther when we have your help. Here are some ways you can defend yourself against card fraud:
Keep Your Cards and Information Safe
Always keep your cards close to you in a secured place, like a wallet or specific place in your purse. Don’t stick your card somewhere where you won’t know exactly where it is, as that will make it more difficult for you to realize if it is actually lost. Never leave your cards exposed for any longer than necessary, put them away immediately so thieves won’t be able to take pictures of your card then use your card information for fraudulent transactions. If you have multiple debit and credit cards, only carry the cards you will be using that day and leave the rest at home. Carrying only the cards you need reduces your risk of theft and the potential damages of fraudulent charges and frozen cards if your wallet is lost or stolen.
Review Your Statements
Whether you receive your card account statements by mail or you log in and check them online, it’s important to carefully review your statements each month. Consistently checking your account activity will help you quickly identify any unauthorized charges on your cards so you can report them to your card issuer immediately. You can check your Robins Financial statements online within Digital Banking.
Shred Documents
If you receive paper statements, check to see if your full card number is printed on the statement. If so, do not throw them directly into the trash; shred the documents before discarding. This will keep identity thieves from getting their hands on your full card number. You should also do the same for any cards that have expired or been cancelled.
Signing up to receive your statements electronically will reduce your risk of having your information stolen and help prevent identity theft. Enroll in e-Statements to start receiving your Robins Financial statements electronically.
Stay Safe Online
The best measure of protection for any account you access online is a strong password. The most secure passwords are at least 12 characters and include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Each account you access online should have its own unique password, but especially any financial accounts like your credit cards and digital banking accounts. You should also change your passwords every 2-3 months, and avoid using any variations on previous passwords. Each new password should be completely unique from anything else you’ve used before, this makes it even more difficult for cyber thieves to steal your passwords and account information. And remember, you should never share your passwords with anyone else for any reason.
Keeping your device’s security features up-to-date will also help protect your finances when you make online credit or debit card transactions. Another way you can protect your cards is by avoiding shared networks and devices to protect your online accounts from cyber theft. Only enter your card information if you are completely certain the website, device, and network you are using are all absolutely legitimate.
Check for Card Skimmers
When you’re using your card at an ATM or gas station, look for any irregularities before inserting your card into the machine. If you notice anything that seems not quite right, a card thief may have installed a skimming device on the card reader. Alert the owner of the ATM or gas station right away and do not use that machine, find another one nearby instead. If you notice something is off after you’ve already inserted your card, alert your card issuer immediately.
Report Lost or Stolen Cards
If you realize that your card information has been used fraudulently, call your card issuer to report it immediately. Keep a record of numbers to call for each card to report loss or fraud. If you suspect fraudulent activity on your Robins Financial debit or credit card, please contact us at 478-923-3773 to report it right away.
Robins Financial Credit Union is committed to protecting our members from financial fraud. Keeping your accounts protected works even better when we have your help. We have tools in place that help you monitor and track your finances, so you’re never caught off guard. To learn more about how we protect our members every day and how you can protect yourself, visit the Security & Fraud Center on our website or give us a call.