How to Prevent Credit Card Fraud in London
Credit card fraud is an umbrella term that encompasses any fraudulent activity committed using a credit card or other such payment gateways. This can either be to buy goods with the intention of not paying for them, or to obtain funds from an account that belongs to someone else. The term also includes issues related to identity theft where a fraudster pretends to be someone else in the hope of taking advantage of that person’s identity. Although, London has shown a decrease in the percentage of card fraud since 2009, but according to a research of CCP, in 2010 alone, 34% of people were affected by card fraud at least once. If you do not wish to be another number in those statistics, then the following steps will help you to prevent being a victim of credit card fraud in London.
Instructions
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1
The first and probably most important point is NEVER to give your credit card to anyone. This even includes your family members. One can’t emphasis enough on this point, but even then almost half of credit card frauds are done when the card is given to someone voluntary or it is taken through fraudulent means.
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2
When you’re shopping through a credit card, it is best to take a receipt of the transaction. This does not only help in keeping a record of your shopping spree, but also prevents you from being a victim of a scam done by the cashier.
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If you’re shopping online, make sure you only shop from trusted websites that exhibit a safe padlock logo and have a proper address and landline number.
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Do not give out your credit card information under any circumstances. There are e-mails and/or insecure websites that request for your credit card pin, that you should avoid at all costs.
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Carry your bank information in a safe place with you. Lest the card gets stolen or you end up becoming a victim of credit card fraud, the bank should immediately requested to block the card so no transaction can take place on it. A few major banks working in London and their helplines are mentioned below:
HSBC Bank Plc
Capital One Bank plc
Bank Leumi plc
Shinkin Central Bank
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Try and carry your credit cards separately from your wallet. So in case one is stolen or lost, the other is protected.
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When you give your credit card for a transaction, try and get it back as soon as the payment has been done. This will minimize the risk of somebody misusing the card or charging extra.
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You can even take up your complaint with the central bank, the Bank of England, in case you have been a victim of credit card fraud. Their helpline is: +44 020 7601 4444
