What to do if your number has been stolen
Credit card theft is extremely prevalent and recently in the UK an extensive credit card cloning operation was uncovered. As a credit card holder you need to be vigilant. If your credit card is stolen, it is likely that you will notice quite quickly. If it is just your credit card details that are stolen to make cloned cards, it may that the credit card company notice a significant change in use of your card and notify you. It is important to check your statement for transactions that you have not made to try and identify if a copied card is being used fraudulently.
Once you have identified that you credit card details have been stolen, you should contact your credit card provider immediately and arrange to have the card cancelled. If you do this promptly, you are generally not held liable for the fraudulent transactions and these monies will be returned to you. The credit card provider may not be so generous if the fraud has been perpetrated over a long period of time, as you should have identified it within a reasonable period of time.
As well as notifying the credit card provider, you should notify the police providing them with details of the fraudulent activities. You should provide details of any suspicious incidents that you can remember when you used your card. One of the common places for these thefts to occur is in restaurants, and if paying by card in a restaurant, do not allow the card out of your sight. The transaction should take place in your presence. It is when cards are taken to a central point away from the customer to process payments that it is most vulnerable to be cloned.
Once you have identified that you credit card details have been stolen, you should contact your credit card provider immediately and arrange to have the card cancelled. If you do this promptly, you are generally not held liable for the fraudulent transactions and these monies will be returned to you. The credit card provider may not be so generous if the fraud has been perpetrated over a long period of time, as you should have identified it within a reasonable period of time.
As well as notifying the credit card provider, you should notify the police providing them with details of the fraudulent activities. You should provide details of any suspicious incidents that you can remember when you used your card. One of the common places for these thefts to occur is in restaurants, and if paying by card in a restaurant, do not allow the card out of your sight. The transaction should take place in your presence. It is when cards are taken to a central point away from the customer to process payments that it is most vulnerable to be cloned.
