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[Y74]Your Credit Card Number

by Jim Glu, Jim

Ensuring that your credit card is safe is probably one of the first things you need to learn when you first get a credit card for yourself. Making sure you have followed the guidelines given here will help you keep the credit card safe from misuse to a vast extent. Of course we have hackers who have risen above all these precautions, but we can try our best to keep some of these factors in place, so as to ensure a trouble free credit card usage. As they say, it is better to be safe rather than sorry.

One of the first things you can do when you receive your credit card is to sign your card. As soon as you receive it, sign on the space given at the back of the card. This is but a basic precaution to ensure that no one steals it and uses it before you can sign on it.

When you visit an ATM, ensure that no one is hanging about the place or peering above your shoulder. They could easily get your PIN and then there is nothing you can do. When you are punching in your PIN make sure no can follow your finger movements and thereby find out your PIN.

Always, always, take your receipt with you when you leave the ATM or shred it thoroughly before you leave it in the dustbin. You must always ensure that you leave the ATM only after the screen returns to the original and not before you have closed the operation entirely. You are bound to encounter miscreants waiting for such lapses on a consumer's part and hack into their account.

Never ever give your credit card number to anyone unless you made the call. When use a cordless phone when you reveal your credit card number to a merchant establishment. There are radio scanners that enable miscreants to overhear your conversation and then you have a security breach. You might find a call soon after you give your card number asking you to repeat the number or they might even say they seem to be experiencing some problem and you need to repeat the number. All such calls are spell danger and are best avoided. Call your contact at the store immediately and verify the call.

Ensure that you get your card back after a purchase is made and always keep a list of your credit cards with their numbers and toll-free numbers to ensure safe transactions in case you lose your card. Check your statement when you get it. You might have been billed wrongly. Call and notify the bank or card issuer immediately to avoid having to pay for something you have not purchased.

In fact, some take home as much as more than 40% of their total annual profits during the Christmas season alone. People, who may have saved throughout the year for this purpose, there will be no worries but plenty to look forward to - good things of course. It also means they do not have to worry about the credit card debt and the bills that come in January.

Loyal clients of the British-based company, Farepak Hampers have not been lucky as the "trusted" company with which they have diligently deposited their money in the hope of using it on presents for their loved ones and families this Holiday season has spectarculary collapsed. The state of affairs means that these customers are left with nothing and will have to find other ways of obtaining money to purchase their presents. With company bosses having pulled out of an expensive insurance scheme earlier to this collapse, there is likely to be no compensation of any sort for these forlorn customers.

Company bosses from the failed company say their bank HBOS, has severely disappointed them whereas the bank has issued a long statement stating that the company bosses are to blame since they refused to secure their loan using their own funds. Hence they were forced to pull the plug on them. Worse still the former boss, William Rollason, withdrew from the Direct Selling Association as he did not wish to shell out expensive insurance that covered customers saving for the festive holidays.

For these unlucky customers of this beleagured company, a fund has been set up for them with contributors such as HBOS. So far only £3 milion has been raised, which nothing compared to the £40,000,000 required. Thus some of the savers interviewed have said they will have to fall on their credit card to make the shortfall. This is not the ideal, as credit card means debt in the future and some may not be able to pay the whole bill in full and the end of January leading to all sorts of unwanted hardships.

To avoid a huge credit card debt and the headache that comes with it, it may be better to avoid using a credit card altogether. Although, we would all like to shell out some presents on our loved ones, it is best to do so within our budget. Using your credit card for purchasing presents can mean spending the rest of the following year just clearing those debts. The cumulative consequences can even land you with a low credit score and in need of credit repair.

Nevertheless, many of us are likely to use our credit cards. If so it's important to do some forward planning.

Article Source : The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Credit Cards

About Author

Both Jim Glu & Ian Iowek are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Jim Glu has sinced written about articles on various topics from Debts Loans, Credit Cards and Eyelid Surgery. Jim is the owner of , and. Jim Glu's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.

Ian Iowek has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Debts Loans and Credit Cards. By Ian Iowek Credit Repair Specialist Find Free . Ian Iowek's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.