Protect your self from credit card fraud
Credit card fraud happens in a variety of ways. And you don't want to be a victim of that! Simply put, credit card fraud is the unauthorised use of a credit card, and fraudsters trying to purchase goods or steal money from someone else's credit. This could involve lost and stolen credit cards, fraudulent applications and card-not-present transactions such as online payments.
Here are ways on keeping your credit card safe and secure.
Smart Tips
- Immediately sign at the back of your credit card upon receipt.
- Never share your credit card information to anyone. Keep your card number, Card Verification Value, expiry date, One-Time-Password, and other information to yourself whenever you're using your credit card. In case you're transacting with a merchant where you need to provide your credit card number over the phone, make sure that you're dealing with a reputable and legitimate company and caller has been verified. Remember, HSBC will never call you to ask for your credit card or your account information.
- Secure credit card PINs. Do not keep those numbers or passwords in your wallet or purse and never write them on the cards themselves. Choose a PIN that's hard to guess. Avoid using easily available personal information such as birthday, nickname, mother's maiden name or consecutive numbers.
- Never use your credit card as an identification card.
- Do not let other people use your card. Your credit card is for your own use only, do not share it with your friends or even with your family.
- Do not leave documents like bills, bank and credit card statements in an unsecure place. Dispose your personal and bank documents properly by shredding them first.
- Dispose your card properly. If you're replacing an expired or tampered card or cancelling your card, make sure to cut across the EMV chip and the magstripe and throw away the pieces separately. Also, check your latest or final statement to ensure that your card hasn't been misused.
Stay vigilant
- Carry only the minimum number of credit cards actually needed and never leave them unattended.
- Personally hand over your credit card to the cashier when paying and keep a constant eye on the card and the one handling it. Be aware of the "swipe and theft" scam using card skimmers. A skimmer is a machine that records the information from the magnetic stripe on a credit card to be downloaded onto a personal computer later. The card can be swiped on a skimmer by a dishonest person and that data can then be used to make duplicate copies of the credit card.
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi. To prevent others from hacking or seeing your information, it is safer to do your credit card transactions at home, or where there's a safe and secure online connection.
- Do not fall victim to phishing websites or emails, smishing or vishing asking for your credit card details. They can lure you into giving your information by pretending to have a promo or a reward waiting for you. Before you open any link online, make sure that the sender comes from a legitimate source.
Keep us updated
- Notify us for any change in details such as mobile numbers, address, and e-mail address.
- Check your statements promptly and reconcile card amount each month. For any dispute, file an Online Dispute Form as soon as transactions have been posted.
- If you lost your card or suspect a fraudulent activity, report it immediately by calling (02) 8858-0000 or (02) 7976-8000.