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How Your Credit Card Info Can Be Stolen By Identity Thieves
By Joseph Ducat

There are a number of situations when you are vulnerable to having your credit card information stolen by credit card thieves. Here are a few of them and how to avoid getting victimized.

Buying Gas - There have been cases where hackers have planted a software “bug” in a gas station machine used to process the credit card payments. The bug then captures any credit card information that is entered. It is not known how widespread this kind of crime is, but a number of cases have been recorded. There is no way for you to tell whether the credit card machine has a bug in it or not. The problem is in the software inside which you cannot see. If you are concerned that your credit card information can be stolen this way, and want to play it safe, then your best approach would be to pay for gas in cash. It is also safer to pay with a gas card rather than using a credit card.

Dining at a Restaurant - Most waiters and waitresses will not be out to steal your credit card information, but if any of them do, there are a number of ways that they can do it. In the first place, if a waiter takes your credit card to bring to the cashier, there is a chance that he may take the credit card information when the card is not in your view, possibly by using an electronic device known as a skimmer. Also, sometimes you may be given a card that is not yours, but looks similar, leaving your card behind where it can be vulnerable to identity thieves. This is a less likely approach as it is easily discovered, but nevertheless, you should always check to see whether the credit card you get back is actually yours. And mistakes are always possible. If you do not want to let your credit card out of your sight, then you should just go to the cashier to make your payment, no matter what other people in the restaurant may think.

Paying at the Cashier - There are email stories about people who pay with a credit or debit card, and the person taking it secretly takes a picture of the card using a camera phone. Although the stories may not be true, such a scam is at least technologically possible. You should always be alert when you are paying with a credit card. Take care that no one nearby is stealing glances at your credit card. Don’t bother to look for a camera--if it is there, you will not see it anyway. Instead, wait for the cashier to ask for your payment and hand it directly to him or her. Don’t just place it on the counter. And don’t let the card out of your sight. Make sure you can see what the cashier is doing with your card.

What Steps Can You Take To Prevent Identity Fraud? Find out with the articles on identity theft available at http://identitytheft.i-know.info

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There are a number of situations when you are vulnerable to having your credit card information stolen by credit card thieves. Here are a few of them and how to avoid getting victimized: Buying Gas - Dining at a Restaurant - Paying at the Cashier