Your Guide to Preventing Card Fraud
The holidays are right around the corner. With all of the gift planning, family visits, and festivities coming up, you’ll probably be using your debit and credit cards more than usual. More spending means more risk, so be sure you’re working to keep your funds protected from fraud. To help you plan your holidays with less worries about card fraud, we’ve gathered some notes to help you safely complete your holiday purchases.
Know how card fraud is committed.
One of the best ways to help keep your debit and credit cards protected from fraud is to know where and how it occurs. NerdWallet provides a review on some of the common forms of card theft.
One way thieves can successfully gain your card information is through skimming. Throughout 2023, FICO saw a jump in cards impacted by skimmers. Fraudsters will add an electronic device directly on to a payment terminal to steal the information from your card when you complete your purchase. This may be more often seen at payment terminals that are not under 24/7 surveillance (think gas pumps, for example).
Phishing, another popular scam method, involves encouraging consumers to share personal or account information. Scammers will try to trick you into sharing these details, often while pretending to be a representative at a financial institution, company, or as someone you know.
Scammers are constantly working on new ways to trick you out of your money. Here’s six common card fraud scams to look out for.
So, is a Credit Card Safer From Fraud?
While both credit and debit cards can be impacted by fraud, there is a difference to how the fraud is dealt with. When fraud on your debit card is being investigated, it is your money involved; when the fraud occurs on a credit card, the money belongs to the financial institution.
However, no matter which type of card you use, it’s important to report a lost or stolen debit or credit card to your financial institution as soon as you know about it! You can do this for your Chaffey FCU cards right from our mobile app. Reporting your card quickly can help prevent or reduce losses due to fraud. If you report your card before a criminal gets a chance to use it, you won’t be responsible for any transactions made with that card after the report. If your report is made after fraudulent transactions have already been made, it’s possible you may be held responsible for some or all of the loss.
Having and using a credit card specifically may help limit your losses if you become a victim of card fraud. Because you use the financial institution’s money when you pay with a credit card, the fraud resolution falls on the institution. Not only that, but with a credit card federal law ensures that the most you are responsible for is $50 in the event fraud does occur.
If you are looking for a new credit card, either to keep your personal funds away from fraud or to just help manage your budget, Chaffey FCU offers credit cards with Visa Rewards, no annual fees, and low fixed rates (as low as 9.99% APR*, compared to banks or store cards that have been seen upwards of 30% APR(+)).
Card Habits to Help You Pay Safely.
There are a variety of payment habits you can pick up to help protect your cards all year long. Complete your holiday spending with less worries by considering these card practices:
Newer cards with “tap to pay” or EMV chips have higher security to help protect your account when making an in-person purchase. Use “tap-to-pay” whenever it is available in stores. All Chaffey debit and credit cards are equipped with contactless payment chips. If possible, avoid swiping the magnetic stripe on your card to make your purchase – this is the oldest and least secure form of card payment method.
Smartphone payment options, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay can provide further payment security. These digital wallet options are equipped with secure encryption technology to ensure your account’s safety. You can pay with a digital wallet anywhere contactless payments are accepted.
FICO has reported an increase of ATM compromises throughout 2023. If something feels or looks suspicious at a card terminal or PIN pad you’re about to use to make a purchase, turn around and make the purchase elsewhere. This may be a minor inconvenience, but it can help keep your cards away from terminals that have been tampered with.
If you use credit cards for automatic bill payments, consider reserving a credit card only for these automatic transactions (and a different card(s) for daily spending). ). In the event that your “daily spending” card is compromised, it will not affect the bills you have already scheduled to pay from the card reserved for automatic bill payments.
Have access to multiple payment forms. Think of this as a “not keeping all eggs on one basket” type of payment method. If one card is compromised, you still have another to use while the initial card fraud is resolved.
Remember, Chaffey FCU will never contact you and ask you to share your card number or account details.
*APR: Annual Percentage Rate. Rate shown accurate as of November 1, 2024. All Chaffey FCU loan rates and terms at chaffey.com/rates-1 . All Chaffey FCU credit card details at chaffey.com/visa-card-activation.