Of all the crimes that occur across the U.S. each year, credit card and ATM card fraud is one of the fastest growing criminal activities, with millions of victims every year. While it can take a thief literally seconds to steal information and make an unauthorized purchase with a personal or business credit card or bankcard, it can take victims weeks, months, or even years to clear their name and resolve financial issues related to identify theft and banking fraud. Today's blog post will hopefully help individual and commercial consumers stay vigilant about protecting their credit cards and bankcards, and prevent people from becoming a victim to this growing epidemic.

Check Bank Statements Frequently

Although a growing number of banks and credit card companies will notify customers immediately if they detect suspicious activity, sometimes unauthorized charges still slip by and won't be apparent until they appear on a statement. Frequent reviews of banking or credit card statements are especially important since many customers do not always check their statements. Waiting until the monthly bank or credit card statement arrives can cost victims valuable time as thieves may have much longer to spend money and rack up charges while their activity goes undetected. Customers should access their online accounts twice a week to view their most recent activity instead of just waiting for a paper or online report to arrive.

Beware of Suspicious Activity

Even for ATMs or points of sale located in prominent or high-traffic areas, thieves can still tamper with card readers or glean valuable information without customers knowing it. This might include seeing strange cables or wires nearby, a card reader that looks different than the rest of the ATM, or a building security camera pointed at the keypad instead of the customer. Also, ATMs located in convenience stores are far more likely to be compromised since criminals can quickly add skimmers while other people distract store employees.

Beware of Suspicious People

Another way consumers can avoid becoming a victim of bankcard fraud is to be wary of suspicious individuals. Thieves will often target bankcard users at an ATM by hovering too close behind to watch what they type in, or they might try discreetly recording customers with their smartphones. In addition, criminals may use their positions in restaurants or retail stores to skim and steal credit card information when a customer is distracted. It is crucial to always be observant of surroundings and individuals nearby when using a bankcard, and to carefully watch anyone who handles a credit card, such as waiter or retail employee.

Guard Your PIN

While it can be difficult to remember yet another PIN or password in this digital age, it's important to not make it easy for thieves to access banking information and money by writing a PIN on the card itself or having it written down inside a wallet. Too often, people write their PIN on their bankcard because they frequently forget it. Instead, consumers that have difficulty remembering their PIN or bank password or login should consider keeping it in a password protected file on their smartphone, where a Touch ID fingerprint can open it.

Individuals and businesses work hard for their money, which makes it even more frustrating when a thief steals money or credit cards for their own personal gain, creating a financial and logistical nightmare for account holders. With a few smart steps, individuals and businesses can be safer and protect their financial assets and good credit. Another great form of protection is having top quality personal and commercial insurance from Aegis Insurance & Financial Services. Aegis offers a full range of outstanding coverage options, all of which can be tailored to create a custom insurance package for your unique personal or commercial coverage needs. Contact Aegis today at 713-850-7622 for more information, or fill out our online form to request a free quote!