Credit card fraud has the potential to be extremely damaging, especially as people rely more and more on plastic money. Credit card fraud occurs when a fraudster uses your credit card number and PIN, or a stolen credit card, to make unauthorised payments from your account. As technology advanced to make life easier, the use of counterfeit credit cards proliferated. Regardless of how secure your wallet is, fraudsters find ways to use your credit cards without your knowledge. This might be the result of previous negligence with your credit card. Make sure you have a good online CIBIL score and understand how to keep your credit card safe at all times before applying for a credit card. Moreover, there are various ways by which you can avoid credit card frauds in India.
Multiple Ways to Avoid Credit Card Frauds
To avoid credit card fraud in India, you can take many cautious measures. Here are some preventative measures you should take to avoid credit card fraud:
Safeguarding Your Credit Card
To fight credit card fraud, the first step is to store credit cards in a safe area that others cannot easily access. Keep your credit card in a small wallet to make it harder for pickpockets and bag snatchers to get to it. Remember to return the card as soon as possible after each purchase, because fraudsters can use smartphone cameras to capture and save a digital image of the credit card. It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on your credit card in your wallet on a frequent basis, even if you don’t use it.
Keep a watch on Online Credit Card Transactions
In addition to Online Banking, theft banks give SMS and email alerts. You may receive real-time notifications to keep track of your credit card transactions. Credit card billing statements usually include the entire credit card number. When you use a credit card, always destroy the statement before throwing it away. Expired or cancelled credit cards should be thrown as well.
Check your Billing Statement Carefully
Another important step in preventing credit card theft is to regularly examine your monthly payment statement. Unauthorised charges are a form of credit card fraud warning indicator. In such cases, the amount of the fraud is unimportant, as even little illegal acts should be reported to the credit card company as soon as possible.
Keeping your Credit Card Information Private
Posing as a customer service representative is one of the most common ways for credit card thieves to get personal information from cardholders. When giving out your credit card number or any other sensitive information over the phone, exercise extreme caution. A bank or financial institution would never contact and request this information from you. Give your credit card information to bank workers or the helpline number on the back of your card only if absolutely necessary.
Report a lost or stolen card as soon as possible
A lost or stolen card should be reported as soon as possible to the service provider. Remember that the sooner you report a lost or stolen card, the sooner you can avoid credit card fraud. Keep your credit card company’s customer care number in your phonebook. This is to avoid delays in notifying the service provider in the event of credit card loss or theft. Only early notice can prevent credit card fraud in such cases.
Any sort of credit card fraud may have an effect on your credit score. As a result, in order to keep track of your score and report any frauds, you must create a CIBIL score login. In the instance of credit card fraud, the only alternative for the user is to show his innocence by demonstrating that the credit card theft was caused by the bank’s or its employees’ ignorance, incompetence, or collaboration. In this case, the bank will repay the consumer for any losses caused by credit card fraud.