Three Ways To Be Sure It Is Your Credit Card Company Calling You

With the ever growing concern of identity theft, you must take extra measures in things such as credit card security. Follow these three ways to be sure it is your credit card company calling you and not just someone fishing for your personal information. You are the first line of defense in protecting your current finances and your financial future. Any company that deals with your personal credit will understand this. It is not the time to worry about offending or turning off a customer service representative. It is a part of the job to ensure your privacy and you can never be too safe when it comes to scams and thieves.

Ask for Proof

Any legitimate caller about your account will be glad to prove it is an authentic call. Do not volunteer any information yourself. For example, do not respond to someone that asks you to read off your credit card number or account number; that information should already be in front of them because they called you. Most companies have a password that is set up at the opening of an account, sometimes the last four digits of your social security number, that they use to ensure they are speaking to the right person. One hard fast rule in any financial matter is to never give out your full social security number over the phone to anyone. One of the surest signs of a fishing call is someone who tries to get you to divulge that information.

Ask for Additional Information

The easiest way to be sure it is your credit card company calling you is to ask for additional information. Many fishing calls come in the form of “unusual activity on your account” or “updating records” and use a scare tactic approach such as “We will have to suspend your account” if you do not verify information right away. Turn the tables on the caller by asking about something from previous account statements. For example, “I’m not sure if that charge is valid or not, can you look up my statement from such-and-such a date and see if there is a similar charge?” If they claim to not to be able to access that information, it usually means they do not have it to begin with.

Ask for a Call Back Number

Trust your instincts if things still don’t feel right. For added credit card security, ask the person who is calling you for their name and a call back number. Compare that number to the one that is listed for the company on your monthly statement. Call the one from your monthly statement and confirm that the person you were talking to is actually a representative of the credit card company.