Credit & Debit Card Safety Tips

As credit or debit card fraud cases are on the rise and criminals trying every possible technique to get hold of your details, it has become quintessential for all the card holders to be aware of basic credit and debit card safety tips to prevent any possible loss.

So mentioned below are the simple but very important tips on credit and debit card safety for the users:

1) Always make sure that no one is looking over your shoulder as you are keying-in the PIN at shopping outlets. And remember the executive billing for your purchase is always looking at the swipe machine. Although his intentions may or may not be good but you should be careful. Even though the person may not be involved in the crime, he may still pass-on your PIN to somebody else.

2) Ensure there are no CCTV cameras directed towards the swiping machine keypad

3) Don’t throw the transaction slip inside the ATM kiosk

4) If you find anything suspicious at the time of transaction at a shopping outlet alert the police and the bank. And as a precaution frequently change your PIN. This is the most important tip on card safety and a very first step customer should take

5) Do not provide your PIN or card details to anybody not even the customer care. Many a times due to technical or manual error your card does not get swiped perfectly in the first attempt and customer support person might ask you for the card to try on his own and might ask you for the PIN as well. Also banks will never ask you to divulge sensitive information. So any time you get a call from the bank asking for confidential details then raise the alarm and hung up the phone. And immediately call the bank and complain on this error.

6) Do not write down your PIN on the back of ATM/Debit/Credit cards

7) Debit/Credit card holder must never reveal the PIN at the point of sale

8) Don’t let your card out of sight, especially at petrol pumps, supermarkets and restaurants

9) Cross check your payment receipt (customer copy) for the right amount

10) Check if your card is being swiped into any other device other than the electronic data capture (EDC) machine. Your confidential information gets stolen through external objects attached to the EDC or ATM machines

11) Insist on privacy while furnishing the PIN on an EDC machine

12) Cross verify all the monthly credit card statements and contact your credit card company about any unusual payment