What to do if your credit card is stolen

When your credit card is stolen, times can be very stressful but with right steps and proper handling you can best deal with the situation.

When you realize that your credit card has been stolen don't panic because when you do your decision making abilities are affected.Stay calm and call the bank immediately. Best is to call at the number at the back of the credit card,you should always have that 1-800 number stored into your phone directory. If you don't have the number call the regular number of the back and ask for assistance.

As you report your card has been stolen, ask them to freeze the account until a new card has been issued and old has been canceled. This will prevent fraudulent charges from appearing in your account, also it will protect your credit.

After reporting the bank about the incident, call all three credit monitoring agencies and ask them to have "fraud check" for your account and tell that you need it because your credit card has been stolen.This will help to save your credit standing in case of fraudulent excessive charges and also in case identity theft.

With bank and credit agency's help you should be safe but it always better to have some backup. When credit cards are stolen there is a chance of identity theft, to prevent that from happening, ask for relevant agencies for advice and suggestion on how to be safe.Also check on your credit report often and watch our for uncommon behavior and yes, keep close eye on your credit card statement of at least a year after the incident.In fact, it is always a good idea to closely monitor your credit card statement.

Credit card theft is getting more and more common but with right security strategy you can protect your name, money and credit rating.