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Eyes on the bill

Credit card fraud becoming more and more common, police say

Do you look all the way through your credit card bill each month before you pay? Or do you simply glance at the balance and pay all or part of it?

Keeping a close eye on your credit card bill is a must  as more and more credit card fraud is occurring.

A Kimberley resident is one of the lucky ones who was diligent enough to look at a credit card bill and spot fraudulent charges.

Kimberley RCMP Cpl. Chris Newel says that a Kimberley resident noted charges on his/her credit card from a mail order business.

Newel says the items purchased can be used  to take advantage of insecure wireless internet connections and/or devices that automatically connect to unknown WiFi connections.

“It is believed they would exploit these networks / devices to obtain more banking and credit card information,” he said. “Through vigilance on the card holder’s part these items never reached the intended destination. However police believe the person(s) may obtain these items in the future.”

There are two lessons to be learned from this case, Newel says. One keep your wireless network secure. Password protect it, with a strong password.

Secondly look over your credit card statement carefully. The sooner you notice fraudulent charges the easier it will be to have them corrected.

From the CIBC website:

If credit card fraud has taken place, your best chance of repairing the damage is to catch it early. Look for charges from places you know you did not make purchases. The general thought is credit card thieves will start with small charges to see if the cardholder notices. For example, you may see purchases at a sandwich shop, gas station or online retailer for just a few dollars. If you spot these charges, follow the steps of reporting a stolen credit card immediately.

 



Carolyn Grant

About the Author: Carolyn Grant

I have been with the Kimberley Bulletin since 2001 and have enjoyed every moment of it.
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