Credit Card Travel Tips

Most people would never think of traveling without credit cards -and for many good reasons. Credit and charge cards can certainly give you an edge while on the road: You do not have to carry as much cash - a definite security advantage - and you WILL receive a record of all your transactions when your credit card statement arrives.

If your credit cards are stolen and used by a thief, and you report the loss promptly, you generally cannot be held responsible for more than a specified dollar amount in fraudulent charges (usually $50). You also stand a better chance of getting your lost credit cards replaced promptly...and this certainly cannot be said for losing cash!

Most major credit cards are accepted worldwide, and in many countries, are preferred as currency over travellers checks. Most people carry at least two types of cards, ideally from two different financial institutions; if one card does not work, the other one is usually accepted. Make sure to keep the cards in separate places.

Keep in mind that in some countries, one type of card is preferred over all others. Consider these examples: in Germany, Mastercard is the card preferred by most businesses; in fact, many stores refuse to take any other card. Note also that some fine restaurants will take only American Express cards - an unpleasant situation if you find yourself having polished off a gourmet dinner with nothing else but a Visa card to pay for it! When in an unfamiliar place, it is a good idea to ask about credit cards accepted before ordering.

When you make a purchase overseas, make sure you check the bill to ensure you are being charged the correct amount. In many countries, periods are used instead of commas in numbers, so 1,000 may appear as 1.000, 45.00 may appear as 45,00. Familiarize yourself with the local currency and its approximate value in your country of origin's currency before you finalize a purchase.

Credit cards also make it easier for the holder to handle certain types of problems that may occur when paying for purchases. Although there is no guarantee that you can secure a refund on goods purchased abroad based on unsatisfactory quality or delivery of merchandise, it is possible your credit card company may allow you to withhold payment while they investigate. It is a good idea to research policy before you leave. Also keep in mind that if you are purchasing goods that are disallowed in your country of origin, your credit card company many not be able to secure a refund for you.

Before you leave, make a list of your credit cards and the international phone numbers to call in case they are lost or stolen. Keep in mind that the toll-free numbers that are normally accessible from your home country may not be valid from the country you are travelling to. Ask your credit card issuer for the appropriate toll free numbers.

Leave one copy of your credit card list with a trusted friend or relative and keep the other copy with you, in a safe place, separate from your cards. You may want to encode the credit card numbers to make them more difficult for a thief to guess. Give yourself every opportunity to contact your credit card companies easily for replacement cards in case you lose your cards.

Also make sure you have checked your credit cards' expiry dates and their credit limits. You may want to pay down the balances or request an increase to the limit, to ensure you have enough to draw on while you travel.

Lastly, here's one really simple but often forgotten tip: After paying for your purchase, make sure you take your credit card back.

Credit cards can make - or break - a trip. Do your homework before leaving. It will be worth your time!

Copyright October 2005: All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
A trip should never go wrong from lack of planning. Raquel Manuel, the Author, an incurable travel fan, compiles a resource to help others take the hassle out of traveling.


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Why You Need a Copy of Your Credit Report!

Your credit report is an important document which may affect you more than you think. It is perfectly possible to see a copy of your credit report. But why would you want to read your credit report, and how do you find it?

In the US there are 3 agencies which keep information on you and your credit. This information includes a whole range of details on many of the financial transactions that you make through your life. You may not be aware of it but much of your financial data is kept by credit agencies, and can seriously affect your life.

Opening a bank account, considering letting a bill slide a little until it's overdue, going for a loan, buying a house? Any one of these transactions and many many more are all recorded on your credit report. Information is kept on where you live, how you manage most of your finances, much of your criminal history if you have one, your history of loan repayments and much more.

And this information is not just kept there for the sake of it. This information is used to assess your credit worthiness so that when you go for a new loan, for example, the organization through which you are applying can access this information to help it decide whether or not it ought to grant you the loan.

You are in fact, rated for your credit worthiness using this information collected on you, and a credit worthiness score is applied to you. This score is part of the information that an organization may wish to find out if they are judging your credit worthiness.

Something as simple as missing a few bills because you were on holidays can quite seriously affect such things as your ability to obtain credit in the future.

So as you can see the information kept in your credit report is important information and can affect your life in ways you may not be aware of.

For this reason it is important to know what information is kept on your credit report. It is not unheard of, for example, for there to be inaccurate entries on your report and if you are unaware of this and therefore cannot correct it this inaccurate information may well cause you all sorts of unexpected problems.

So, how do you get a copy of your credit report? Luckily you are entitled by law to get a free copy of your report each year. You will need to provide your name and address as well as your social security number and date of birth to identify yourself, as well as possible former addresses if you have moved recently.

To get your credit report ring 1-877-322-8228 (toll free) and proceed as directed.

So remember, you are entitled to a copy of your credit report free each year. Make use of your entitlement, check your report and see if there is anything there which could be causing you a problem. If there is then you can start finding out what to do about it.

Credit Cards and Identity Theft

As more and more Americans become reliant on credit cards in their daily life, identity theft is growing. Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information without permission. They can obtain credit or use your existing credit to put you in a serious financial crisis. Prepaid credit cards may be an option for someone who wants to avoid identity theft.

Prepaid credit cards are a credit card that you add a certain amount of money to. These cards do not have a set limit, but rather your spending is based on how much money you put on the card. The idea is that you can use the card anywhere credit cards are excepted, but without the worries of debt. You do not get charged interest charges and can not exceed your spending limit. These cards are not tied to a bank account and you do not get monthly bills. This makes prepaid credit cards virtually unworthy an identity thief’s time.

If you are approached by someone trying to steal your identity you can feel protected with your prepaid credit card. Most of the time these thieves try to get your credit card number so they can then use it to make purchases. Even if they do get your credit card number they still can only use the amount of money you have on the card. They can not go on a crazy spending spree and since the card is not attached to any bank accounts, they can not access your other financial information. This protection doesn’t come with debit cards or regular credit cards.

Using prepaid credit cards everyday or just for occasions, like traveling, when you could be more prone to identity theft is an overall good idea. Many thief’s are looking for an easy target, but if you play it smart you won’t be that target.


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Gunnar Berglund has been a "internet- hardworker"
for the last five years He publishes the ebook
"Identity Theft, What's It All About?"
Click here for more info

"What to do If you are a victim"

"How to Prevent Identity Theft and

What to Do if it Happens"

Are you concerned that you’ve already made mistakes? Do you know if your credit or reputation has already been used by an identity thief?

Whether you think you’ve been a victim yet or not you need to know the five RED FLAGS that indicate your information may be at risk.

If you know that you’ve already been victimized you’ll want to know the steps you must take IMMEDIATELY to restore your credit and prevent further victimization. You’ll also need to understand the systems that are in place to help you fight back.

Identity Theft Handbook

Identity Theft Report

In the United States alone, Identity theft has reached $53 billion dollars a year.

Get this free 4 page report that details the extent of identity theft and what you can do to protect yourself from identity theft scams.

First Name:
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Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Identity theft has become the fastest growing criminal activity in the 20th Century, replacing illegal drug sales. For the perpetrators, it offers the highest profit margin with the least risk. In fact, according to one expert, it is estimated that fewer than 1-in-700-identity crimes actually result in a conviction.

In the United States alone, Identity theft has reached $53 billion dollars a year. Consumers are directly shouldering about $5 billion of that, but the rest, which is paid by businesses and retailers, is passed on indirectly to consumers who are paying more for goods and services.

How BIG is this Problem?

In recent months, there has been a rash of reports about big thefts, where criminals are stealing identities in mass quantities. Banks, credit card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive, private information have all reported “break-ins” that happened through the use of Trojan viruses and other online hacking methods – resulting in the loss of millions of pieces of information being stolen. There have also been instances of the information just getting “lost”, of employees selling it and other lax security measures resulting in the same thing – thieves having access to your identity.

What do Thieves Want?

- Your Name
- Date of Birth
- Home Address
- Phone Numbers
- Social Security Number
- Driver’s License Number
- Credit Card Numbers
- CW2 Security Code (the number on the back of your credit card)
- Your Credit Report
- ATM Cards
- Telephone Calling Cards
- Mortgage Details

Where Are They Getting All Your Information?

High-tech methods include online thefts from:

- Banks
- Credit-Reference Agencies
- Retailers
- Credit Card Networks
- Data-Brokerage Companies
- Payment Processing Companies
- Phone Companies
- Schools
- Your Employer
- Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments
- Government Agencies

But there are still low-tech methods that are effective as well:

- Dumpster Diving
- Mail Theft
- Retail Theft
- “Phishing”/pretexting/pretending
- Purse/Wallet Theft

What are Thieves Using Your Information For?

- Making charges to your existing credit cards
- Opening new credit cards in your name
- Having phone or utilities turned on
- Withdrawing money from your existing bank accounts
- Employment purposes
- Driver’s Licenses
- Tax Fraud
- Social Service benefits
- Student loans
- Business or Personal loans
- Health care
- Mortgage loans/leases
- Auto loans
- Using your ID when caught committing a crime

How Can You Protect Yourself?

- Keep a photocopy of all your credit cards, bank account numbers and investment account numbers in a safe
place
- Keep your credit card receipts – don’t throw them away in a public place
- Put a “fraud alert” on all your credit reports
- If you apply for credit and the card doesn’t arrive on time, call the card issuer
- Choose difficult to guess PIN numbers or passwords. (Don’t use birth dates, your mother’s maiden name, pet’s name, etc.)
- Never give personal information to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it
- Shred any personal information – such as bills, credit card or bank statements, even pre-approved credit applications before throwing them away
- Don’t use the ATM machine if someone is watching you
- Pay attention to what’s going on around you – cell phones often have cameras in them. If someone is standing close by you with a cell phone while you're entering a PIN number at the ATM or in line at the grocery store, block their view
- Review your bills each month for unusual or suspicious charges. If there’s something you don’t remember or doesn’t seem right, call the creditor right away
- Check your credit report at least once a year
- Store your cancelled checks safely, or better yet, have the bank do it. You can always get a copy if you need
one.
- Don’t leave your purse in plain sight when driving
- Keep your valuable locked in the trunk or glove box when driving
- Make all personal information on your laptop or computer password protected
- Don’t carry information about your PIN numbers, passwords and account numbers in your purse or wallet; or at least don’t make them easily identifiable as to which account they belong to

Warning Signs that Your Identity Has Been Stolen:

- Although you have good credit, a loan application is denied, or you’re refused extended credit requests
- You are suddenly contacted by a debt-collection agency
- Your purse or wallet has been stolen, or your house broken into
- There is unfamiliar activity on your credit report

What to do if it Happens to You:

- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police immediately, and file a report. Make sure that you’re given a report number
- Contact your bank, credit card and other credit extending companies and report the theft
- Close the accounts
- Contact the credit-reporting companies in your area, and report the theft.
- Review your credit report every 90 days for the next year for suspicious activity
- If there is fraudulent activity, have it removed immediately and monitor your credit report every 90 days for the next year
- Put everything in writing, and follow up with your credit card companies, banks, and credit reporting agencies. Keep copies of all supporting documents
- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission
- Change the passwords on your existing accounts and create new ones for new accounts

Identity theft is real, and it’s a growing problem, and it could happen to you. Although there are no guarantees that you can keep your information safe, by paying attention to the risks and taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you can minimize your chances of someday having an “identity crisis”. Good luck!

Want more information?
Identity Theft Handbook

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How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Identity Theft is a real and growing problem. So what is identity theft exactly? Basically, identity theft is when someone uses your social security number, your bank credit card number, your driver's license number or any other form of identity without your knowledge or permission.

Many people have fallen victim to identity theft through many different means. Some of these ways are easily preventable due to their common sense obvious nature. Other ways identities are stolen are more dubious and discreet.

So, the question becomes, how can you protect yourself from someone stealing your identity?

To protect yourself from identity theft, the first thing you should do when considering how to divulge information about your identity to someone you do not know or may not trust is to use your common sense. Never make one-sided assumptions or take things for granted where your identity is concerned.

Credit card company statements and bank statements you receive in the mail contain your account information including your account number. Any of these items need to be shredded with an inexpensive shredder you can buy at any office supply store. Do not throw credit card statements, old credit cards or bank statements, etc. in the trash as that presents an easy way for someone going through the trash to steal your account information and use it as if they were you.

Another thing you can do to protect yourself against credit card fraud and unauthorized credit card usage is to sign the back of your card as "Check ID". If a store clerk asks to see your card, he or she will check the signature on the back and compare it with some other form of ID you have. This safeguard will not work where a purchase can be automatically completed (like at a gas pump).

When you are buying items at a store or withdrawing money from a bank or ATM machine using your ATM debit card always protect the visibility of your PIN number as you punch it in.

Do not carry your social security card with your number on it in your wallet. Keep your social security card or anything with your social security number on it in a safe place where no one has access to it but you. If you must dispose of anything that has your social security number on it, do not forget to shred it.

When online, do not open files sent to you by strangers or even files that are from someone you know but were not expecting to receive any from them. Do not click on hyperlinks or download programs from people you do not know either. Opening a computer file from an unknown source could expose your system to a computer virus, a Trojan or spyware. These types of programs could be ones that could log your keystroke information containing your credit card numbers, passwords or other sensitive information as you type it in.

If you use Ebay or Paypal, read the company website policies concerning how they handle communication to you about your account information. Never trust an email you may receive out of nowhere from Ebay or Paypal asking you to "update your account information" as this is more than likely a ploy to steal that information and use it illegally.

Use a firewall program and a router while you are online if you have high speed internet that leaves your computer connected to the internet 24/7. The router and the firewall program both make it much more difficult for a hacker to see your computer's actual IP address which means that you have a better chance of safely sending and receiving sensitive information over the internet. Windows XP operating system SP2 has a built in firewall which you should make sure is enabled in your settings.

When you are shopping online, always use a secure browser and shop from a web site that offers secure transactions when shopping online. Most browsers in use today have this protection feature including the popular Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox browsers. Secure website shopping carts you visit will show up as "https://thestoresdomain.com" in the web browser address bar.

Practice keeping your computer clean from spyware or Trojan programs that log keystroke information by using virus protection software and spyware monitoring and removal software. These programs should be updated regularly, and updates for you're operating system and other software programs should be installed regularly to protect against the compromise of your computer files and password information. Ideally, virus protection software should be set to update itself frequently. The Windows XP operating system will update itself automatically if you enable this feature, which you should.

The consequences of identity theft once thieves have your information can be quite severe and range from going on a spending spree to taking out auto loans in your name. For these reasons and others, it is a good idea to monitor your credit report periodically. A credit report can be obtained from Trans Union Corp. New laws have made it easy for you to get at least one free credit report that you can use to see if accounts have been opened in your name.

Want more information?

This Identity Theft handbook will guide you through all the steps you need to take.