Have you ever found fraudulent activities in your credit bills? Have you been surprised to see a high outstanding amount in your credit bill for the items purchased, you are not even aware of? If yes, then you must be a victim of credit card identity theft.

One of the most notable and fastest growing crimes in this modern age of technology is the credit card identity theft. This is mainly due to the easygoing norms of credit card industry, simplicity of getting Social Security Number and careless management of data in the offices.

How to spot identity theft

You can spot whether or not you have been a victim of identity theft, by the following ways:

* You are suddenly getting credit cards from companies to which you have not even applied.

* You are missing your credit card bills. This means your mailing address has been changed, as a result of identity theft.

* You are getting phone calls or letter from your creditors, about purchases you have never made.

* Your credit card interest rates have been suddenly changed to a higher one, without any reason.

* You are being denied to buy further items on credit.

How to stop identity theft

To find out whether or not you have been a victim to identity theft, you need to check your credit report at regular intervals. Along with that, to prevent identity theft, you need to follow the steps mentioned below:

* Carry fewer credit cards: You should carry less number of credit cards with you. Instead of too many credit cards, you should carry a debit card along with one or two credit cards. You also have to keep a track of online accessibility to your bank accounts on a regular basis. IF you can see any act of fraud or any discrepancy, you should immediately notify the bank.

* Keep vigilance on handling of your card: If you are using your card in a shopping mall or a restaurant, you should keep a close watch on how your card is swiped by the person handling your card. Crooked employees have the tendency to download your account information through a gadget known as skimmers and later use it to generate fake cards and use it for online shopping.

* Do not write credit card numbers on checks: You should not mention your credit card number on your checks. According to the civil code section 1725, it is a breach of law in California and statutes in a many other states.

* Do not provide details to unknown companies: You should not provide any personal details, like, your telephone number, address, date of birth, social security number, bank account number, through any email, if you do not know the reliability of the company and have any business association with it.

* Check your credit report regularly: You should regularly check your credit report, at least twice in a year. If you find any discrepancy, you can notify and rectify it.

* Review your credit card statements: You should review your credit card statements each month, and if you find any discrepancy on the items purchased by you, you should immediately contact your credit card issuer.

If you feel that you have been a victim of credit card identity theft, you should take legal help and get out of the trouble as soon as you can.

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