5 Biggest Credit Card Scams and What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

Credit card scams aren't going to disappear anytime soon, but a keen eye and a bit of caution can work wonders in protecting yourself.

Credit card scams aren't going to disappear anytime soon

By Sean Messier

As times change, credit card technology follows suit. But while change brings benefits, it also means that fraudsters and identity thieves have more tools at their disposal than ever before and that these tools have evolved in order to combat the ever-changing protective measures put into place to make criminals’ jobs harder.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to avoid identity theft by way of credit card scam. In the meantime, let’s discuss five of the most significant categories of scams you might face in today’s high-tech landscape.

1. Credit Card Skimming

The Scam: Search the web for “credit card skimming,” and it’s not unlikely that you’ll see several news stories from the last few days alone. This scam occurs when a skimming device designed to illicitly read and store the credit card information is installed on a card reader. They’re usually used in public areas, like gas pumps or convenience store ATMs.