Credit Card Fraud
I just had my second credit card shut down for fraud. This happened last summer when Citi Cards initiated the process by informing me that my account had been compromised. They did not give me any more information than that, but it was very little trouble for me since they waited for me to receive my new card before deactivating my old card.
Tonight Discover wanted to know whether I had made a purchase for more than twice my credit limit. I have not used the card at all since a $5 purchase a few months ago. I’d not previously heard of the business or location where the purchase was made. The physical card has been in my possession and I have no reason to suspect anyone I know.
I think that I follow the FTC’s guidelines fairly well. I am not sure what I could have done to prevent something which seems so random.
In one way I think that this is just a normal hazard of using credit cards and has not really hurt me. But in another way I think that it probably should not happen to me twice a year. I have no idea how I could stop it. Well, that is not quite true. Having fewer credit cards would be a very good thing. I cannot get rid of any cards right now since the only one with no ballance is also the one that I have had longest. It is not worth hurting my credit score just to eliminate one of my cards.