Take Charge of Your Credit Cards

The following are tips to help avoid getting swindled.

• Be smart - don't let anyone pull a fast one. Check to see you've been given your card back once you have paid for what you bought.
• Be cautious when shopping by phone. Get the facts. Make sure the person on the phone is legitimate and that the company is reputable.
• Watch your credit card slip being filled out and make sure it is not passed through the machine more than once.
• Ask for the carbon copies and destroy them.
• Keep your receipts and check them against monthly bills.
• Destroy credit cards that are no longer active.
• Maintain a list of your credit cards, their account numbers and the phone numbers to call is the cards are lost. Keep this information in a safe place.
• If you get ripped off or lose track of any cards, call your creditors immediately!!
• When choosing a PIN (Personal Identification Number), avoid using birth dates, social security numbers, addresses and phone numbers. Don't write the PIN on the cards or on anything you keep in your wallet/pocketbook.