More and more people are encountering these problems: sometimes a simple distraction is enough to get your credit card cloned. Here's what to do
If the victim of a cloned credit card notices it right away he can limit the damage, blocking a payment and perhaps getting back the money stolen. But it can also happen that you don't realize anything until you make a statement: in these cases it's really too late.
More and more people are facing these problems, also because of the sophisticated weapons staged by hackers to clone credit cards. Sometimes a simple distraction is enough to hand over one's bank credentials to cyber criminals. Often it is the superficiality of the victims to make the game easy for the criminals. Many people, in fact, buy online on platforms that are not very reliable and, above all, lack the https protocol (the one with the green padlock), which prevents data transmitted through the Internet from being intercepted by hackers. The card can also be quickly cloned in a store, at the petrol pump, at the freeway toll booth or directly at the ATM. Here are some valuable tips to put into practice to protect your credit card.
SMS Service
First and foremost - it is included in most current accounts - is to enable the function that allows you to receive a message on your cell phone every time a payment is made. The service is very useful in case your card has been cloned: you may know right away if someone is making transactions using your account. In such cases, you will have to contact the bank and ask the operator to block the card.
Safe shopping
Despite the efforts of banks to protect current accounts, little can be done against the superficiality of their customers. We have anticipated before that many people perfect their purchases on unsafe websites. Beware, the game is not worth the candle. Even if the product you are interested in is on offer, it would be better to rely only on the most well-known platforms. Often these sites are created specifically to steal your credit card information. It is advisable to spend a little more than to risk having your card cloned. Remember to check if the site includes the protocol, as mentioned above, https.
Protect contactless cards
Some of the latest credit cards have contactless technology, a system that, using an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or NFC (Near Field Communication) chip, allows you to make payments using radio waves: there is no need to physically insert the card in the POS machine but you only need to approach it. Convenient, certainly. But very risky. A crook could approach you with an RFID or NFC reader and empty your account. What to do? On the market there are wallets designed precisely to block radio waves. Buy one.
Secure passwords
Don't make the mistake of changing the password of your bank account to a simpler one. Remember to always use - for any account, not just a bank account - unique and especially complex access keys. Activate two-factor authentication as well, which provides a higher degree of protection.
Check your credit card
It often takes only a few minutes for crooks to clone your credit card. Do not allow anyone to take it away from you. If you're at a restaurant, even though it may seem inelegant, and the waiter tries to walk away with the card, stop him. He may be a thief intent on cloning your card. In short, never let it out of your sight.
Other tips
Beware of ATM withdrawals. Avoid unsafe machines and rely only on those from banks. Cover your PIN code with one hand before entering it: there may be a micro-camera installed in the ATM. Also check your bank statements often. Alternatively, leave your credit card at home and replace it with electronic payment systems.