The holiday season is here and with it an increased risk of identity theft. Capital One is offering some great tips on how you can protect you and your family from becoming the victims of identity theft.
Forbes: 1. Save Your Receipts. Tuck sales receipts in your pocket rather than the shopping bags. This will help you keep track of expenditures and will prevent thieves from snatching your credit information as well as your purchases if they break into your car in the parking lot after you’ve stashed the packages from the first round of shopping.
2. Guard Your Credit Card. Always keep an eye on your card when charging an item. An unscrupulous clerk may swipe the card through the bank’s electronic payment system and then through a “skimmer” that reads and records your account number. Don’t use a credit or debit card at a convenience or other store with high employee turnover, because you don’t know how carefully the employees have been screened.
3. Keep An Eye Out. Always be aware of those around you when using your credit card. It may be possible for someone using a cell phone or camera to snap a picture of your card, giving them the account number and expiration date–everything they need to make fraudulent charges.
4. Your Glove Compartment Isn’t A Safe. Don’t tuck unneeded credit cards in your car’s glove compartment, because that’s the first place thieves look after popping the door. Leave unneeded cards at home.