Credit cards and debit cards are currently in the wallets of almost everyone. The cards are used instead of cash and checks to pay for our purchases on Main Street and the internet. Card fraud management is as important to the merchants who accept these sources of payment as they are to individuals who have cards. Cardholders have to be diligent to keep their information secure and merchants have to be diligent so they do not help criminals use the stolen account information.

Card Fraud Management and the Merchant
There are certain things that a merchant can look for to alert them to the possibility that a customer may be using a stolen of fraudulent credit card to pay for their purchases. Some of the things you will want to look for to detect a possible fraudulent transaction are:

First time shoppers that are making large purchases

Orders that contain multiple items that are all the same

Orders that the customer wants rushed or overnighted to the
address they give

Shipping addresses that are different from the card address

Shipping address that is international

Multiple transactions made on the same card in a short period of
time

Multiple transactions that are made on different cards and shipped to one address

Orders that have the purchases shipped to several addresses

Card Fraud Management and the Cardholder
As a credit card holder you are responsible for your account. You have to set up precautions to stop your financial information from being easily obtained. Some of the things you can do to help you prevent your information from landing in the hands of thieves are:

Install a firewall on your computer

Have anti-virus software on your computer before you start shopping on the internet

When you are through making a purchase at a website do not just close the page. You need to log out of your account to prevent someone else from slipping right in behind you.

Never give out your credit card information unless you are on a secure site that you trust. If you are shopping with a new merchant make sure they have a secure server before you give them your financial information.

Check your account regularly for suspicious activity or charges

Enroll in a credit card protection program that is offered by most credit issuers

Regularly download all security updates that are recommended by your operating system

Use a third part pay center like PayPal to make your transactions through. PayPal allows you to set up an account and when you make an online purchase PayPal will actually pay the new merchant and you pay PayPal. This type of payment center not only protects your financial information it also provides you with a confirmation that you did pay for the item.

When you use your card at Main Street merchant shops you should make certain that no one watches as you enter your pin number

When you use a card to pay at the gas pump be certain that you hit the clear button when you are finished with your transaction, and take your printed receipt with you.

Card fraud management has become a bigger concern of most people because more people use cards to pay for items today. Card fraud management is the responsibility of the cardholder and of the merchant that accepts the card as payment. You can click here for more information.