Credit Fraud and Your Credit Profile

Nearly 25 millions of Americans become victims of credit fraud every year, official card fraud statistics affirms. Check your report and score regularly to make your card fraud detection as soon as possible!

Card fraud means any type of fraud with plastic cards: card scam, online card fraud, or Internet card fraud, identity theft fraud (unauthorized use of personal information) etc.

Typical scam comes in form of pre-approved application for a card, and offers to pay upfront fee to obtain a card. Fraudsters use pre-approved bad score card applications and good score card offers, thus you can face Chase card fraud, Visa card fraud or, for example, some credit union fraud offers.

Get your free report and score and analyze card fraud signs, if any. Being an identity theft victim, you can find inquiries or information about accounts that you didn't open or receive bills from unknown sources. Report card fraud as soon as possible to Federal Trade Commission! Its policy covers card fraud protection and card fraud punishment. Nonetheless what card fraud law states, FTC isn't to investigate reports where the value of fraud doesn't exceed $2000.

Reporting card fraud is really important to keep sound Credit Score. Learn more about card fraud and how to trace card fraud, reading our articles on related topics.

What Else You Should Do

Credit card fraud prevention is the most effective way to escape card fraud. Besides usual fraud prevention tips, you'll find in a respective article on card fraud or a book about card fraud, you can initiate reporting bureau fraud alert on your report!

Fraud alert on report is a service the major report bureaus offer to help you protect your credit against card identity theft. When you have an alert in place, if someone tries to open an account in your name, the application is delayed until the information is verified with you. A reporting bureau can offer you initial fraud alert for 90 days or extended fraud alert for some years.Call fraud toll-free number of any of Credit Bureaus to inintiate fraud alert on your report!

Once you apply for a card at a bank or a loan at a loan center, fraud alert, placed by a reporting bureau, will slow the things down. Still you'll feel safer being aware of your rating, or scores. Read more on that in our plastic cards articles!

Whatever cards you can afford - good score cards, cards for fair score, secured cards for people with bad score or unsecured cards for bad score, or just no score cards for people with no history - be cautious using them!

• Never tell your own card details to people who call to sell something to you.



• Destroy your card receipts before throwing them out.



• Leave your card at home if possible.



• Buying goods or applying for a card and a good or bad score loan online make sure the site's secure.



• Report your card loss or theft to the card issuer as soon as possible.