Credit card fraud is something that concerns most of us at some time or another, and because of the increase in fraud such as CNP, or Card Not Present, fraud over recent years consumers are continually urged by industry experts to be very careful about their credit card account details, as well as how and when they use their cards.
However, according to a recent report one of the highest risk groups when it comes to credit card fraud is tenants, particularly those that live in shared accommodation as many do. In fact, industry experts have said that the people that are most likely to fall victim to this type of fraud are young, working professionals who have a reasonable salary and are living in rented accommodation that is shared with others.
The national average index risk for this type of fraud, as set by Credit Expert a
free credit report provider, is one hundred, but for those falling into this particular category the risk was more than double, coming in at two hundred and twenty three. This clearly shows how important it is for people in this category to ensure that they take precautions to minimise the risk of becoming a victim of credit card fraud.
Mail interception is one of the ways in which fraudsters can get hold of consumers'' card details. Many tenants move around regularly, and it is important to let your card provider, all utility providers, and other keys providers of your change of address, otherwise your mail will continue to go to your old address where it can easily be intercepted.
Another way in which fraudsters can get hold of other tenants'' card details is via a shared computer, and therefore if you live in a shared property with shared computer facilities you should be very careful not to save any card account details, passwords, and other sensitive information on websites on the computer, as this will simply give others easy access to your account details. Also, those in shared accommodation should be careful about giving out credit card details over the phone in front of others sharing the property who they do not really know or trust, as this can also give away valuable information.
Simple steps such as these can help vulnerable tenants who are living in shared accommodation to avoid the pitfalls of becoming victims of credit card fraud, so it is important to exercise caution and use common sense.
