"Secure" Credit Cards?

olgadapolga

Hi everyone,

First of all, please forgive my total ignorance on issues surrounding credit cards. I only know that I use them to buy goods, and I pay them off in full thereby avoiding interest. I also have three cards, one of which has been "compromised" on two separate occasions (the card was cancelled both times) to the tune of several hundred pounds.

I really cannot believe that I have held various credit cards for over 20 years but only the card from one provider has been "used" fraudulently, both times within the last six months. This does concern me as the first time it happened, I spotted it on the statement (when I rang, the CC company was really laid back about it and didn't want to cancel the card), the second time they rang me to query the transactions and cancelled the card there and then.

But what I want to know is: is there a credit card considered to be more "secure" than others available? Or are they all at just as much risk?

If this is a laughable question, please go right ahead and have a giggle, I don't mind - as I said, it is due to my total lack of knowledge in this area!

Thanks for reading

L

skyrider007

You can never be completely secured with any form of payment. The best thing you can do is hold cards with companies that are reputable for their security and dispute resolution.

American Express and Citibank are good at detecting frauds and credit back unauthorised transactions without much hassles. Capital One provides you with free access to Equifax ID watch which alerts you everytime there is a change to your credit report.

exel1966

No matter what card you hold, you'll never be 100% secure from fraud, but there are steps you can take to minimise the chances.

Obviously, the main one is to never write your pin down anywhere, never let the card out of your sight when using it (easier said than done I know, but insist), only use 'https' secure websites and never enter you card details into one that is not.
Not all suspect transactions are in fact fraud. Sometimes computer error can lead to duplicate/triplicate identical tranactions, sometimes vendors manually entering card details get a digit wrong, sometimes vendors accidentally swipe cards more than once if it appears the first swipe didn't work. There's no way of avoiding these particular problems with any company.
I've use dozens of different c/cards for 20+ years now and have travelled quite extensively throughout the world using them, even to risky places such as Central America, Nigeria, remote parts of Russia and Asia and have never had a genuinely suspect transaction yet. Fingers Crossed !!!
All c/card companies have fraud departments, how vigilant and successful any of them are is difficult to know !

In the end I think it all comes down to luck, but of course sometimes you make your own luck !