As you may know, credit cards can be a dangerous thing sometimes. Anywhere from abusive spending causing you to go into debt to getting your identity stolen. Getting your identity stolen is one of the biggest crimes done here in America. Crooks can get your identity within seconds and ship the money overseas within a blink of an eye, making it next to impossible to recover the funds. Thankfully, credit card companies have policies in effect where the consumer is only reliable for a small amount, usually around fifty dollars.

There are many things you should and shouldn’t do when you receive your credit card. Once you receive your card in the mail, make sure you sign the back of the card. Most merchants won’t accept a credit card that isn’t signed. This is also important so that if a thief gets a hold of your card without a signature, he or she can forge one that they can easily copy. Another nice thing about a credit card is the handy toll-free number on the back. It’s always safe to store that number in your cell phone so once you find that the card was stolen, you can call up the customer service hotline and report it immediately. If you don’t have a cell phone, mark the number down on a little piece of paper and store it either in your wallet or purse.

When making a transaction with your credit card, make sure you save every single receipt. If you’ve made the purchase online, make sure you make a copy for yourself. This is important because once you receive your bill at the end of each month; you will want to match up every receipt to the transaction to make sure there is no fishy business going on. If you do find suspicious activity on your account, contact the credit card company immediately along with a written letter. If you want, you can staple the receipts to the bill and store them in a locked file cabinet where no one can get a hold of them.

A thing most people forget when using their credit card is to change their address if you say move within a few months. It’s always safe to change your address within a few weeks prior to avoid having your statement showing up at the new homeowner’s doorstep. YOU have no idea what the homeowner’s previous past is. They could just as easily steal your identity as well. Make sure you change your address because you can’t rely on the post office’s forwarding system.

Now that we’ve covered the things you should do with your credit card, it’s important to point out the things you shouldn’t do at all, no matter what the circumstances are. Never lend out your credit card to anyone. Just because someone is your friend or relative, you have no idea how responsible they are or what they will even do with this card. It’s always best to do the purchases yourself. Never leave receipts or carbon copies lying around. This is important because sometimes the receipts may have your number on it. A lot of the times now, your card number on the receipt will be marked with a X followed by the last 4 digits. Just to be safe, it’s always best to shred or store the receipt in a locked box or cabinet.

Lastly, make sure you watch your credit card like it’s your kid. Make sure the clerk at the store or even the restaurant gives you back your card as soon as possible. This is important because employees as well as crooks can easily write down your number and spend away, leaving you puzzled as to whole stole it.

Most of the times, if you follow all of these do’s or don’ts, you won’t have to worry about fraud. This doesn’t mean it won’t happen. With recent stories in the past, hackers were able to hack into store databases and steal all of the customer’s identifications. This again, wouldn’t be your fault but that would be an example on how it could be done even if you were safe with your cards.

DO’s

- Always sign the back of your card.
- Store the toll-free number in your phone or write it down on a piece of paper.
- Store receipts with the correct bill.
- Always lock up your receipts
- Keep a close eye on your card at all times.
- Change your address prior to moving.

DON’s

- Never lend out your card to a friend / relative
- Don’t leave receipts lying around.
- Give out your information over the phone.