As a Newfoundland real estate agent and Accredited Buyers Representative, I know all too well how important maintaining a good credit score is, not just for securing a mortgage, but for so many areas of our lives. That’s why as we approach the busy, holiday shopping season, I’m reminding my clients to be aware of credit card scams and how to avoid them.
Many of us know some safety tips to protect our cards, but it’s easy to forget to stay vigilant – and scammers rely on this to get our info. Scammers use many methods – they ‘skim’ your cards by secretly getting your numbers while we use them, they will call you soliciting donations for fake charities or pretending to be legitimate telemarketers, and they even email you pretending to be your bank. For more information on these types of scams, please see here and here.
Of course, there have always been criminals, and there’s no reason to be overly worried – because with knowledge, we can take some proactive steps to protect ourselves. Regularly check your bank statements (scammers like to start small, by charging small purchases to see if you’ll overlook them). When you have your credit card out in public, be aware of those around you, and keep your numbers hidden as much as possible. You should also sign the back of a new card as soon as you get it. Beware of any emails coming from what you think is your financial institution – and remember that banks don’t do their business through email. And when you’re shopping online, please be careful and make sure you’re on reputable sites.
And never (never, never, never) give your credit number out to someone who randomly calls you. If you have to do business over the phone, make sure you initiate it, and that you’ve verified the number you’re calling.
And what to do if you suspect you’ve been the victim of a scam or that your credit card has been stolen? Contact your credit card company right away. Again, as a real estate agent all too aware of the importance of credit scores, I also can’t stress enough the importance of contacting the credit bureau and having fraud alerts placed on your credit scores. You’ll find more information on how to do this, plus lots more tips on how to protect yourself, on the RCMP website, here.
Again, when you’re informed and proactive, there’s no reason to be worried about using your cards. I’m hoping that if you’ve experienced any particular new scams, you’ll let us know in the comments – exposing the criminals is the best way to stop them, so the more vocal we are, the better. Lets all protect ourselves this busy season, and, as always, if you have any questions about Newfoundland real estate, please don’t hesitate to call anytime at 682.0744. Take care.