If you’ve ever had your wallet stolen or lost, you understand the trickle of fear that such a discovery produces. Most consumers realize that it’s imperative to call the bank and credit card issuers immediately in order to close those accounts and avoid fraudulent charges. Unfortunately, a great majority of individuals don’t realize that their credit history and rating may be at risk every day.
Unless consumers take extra care to protect themselves, online credit card and identity theft provides criminals with an insidious and sometimes invisible method of draining a bank account, racking up charges to the limit on a credit card or invading your personal privacy and security that often goes undetected for weeks, and sometimes months.
These days, online purchasing is a way of life, as is bill paying over the Internet. However, Internet fraud is limited to roughly 10% of all fraud cases.
