Check Your Card Statements Every Single Weekend

You must and I repeat must check Your Card Statements Every Single Weekend:  This is not a suggestion, this is not advice, this is an order for every single client, contact and reader.

YOU MUST CHECK YOUR CARD STATEMENTS AND BANK STATEMENTS EVERY WEEK – EVEN IF YOU NEVER USE THEM

This week, for the second time in a couple of years, one of our director’s bank cards was defrauded by around £1,800.

This time, it was a business credit card that is rarely, if ever, used.  We hope this gives the police and bank investigators a better chance of catching the culprits.  There was no need to check the balance as there was usually no balance, it was found just by chance.

Reality check, Ashley Clark (director) has not used the card in question in over a year.  It has been sat in his wallet at home, never leaving the house, for months and months, never used.  He only found out when he hired a car this week and the card was declined. Embarrassing but in the end a ‘blessing in disguise’.

Previously, it was swiped around one month ago for just another ‘car hire’ pre-authorisation only but no payment was passed through it.  Could it have been this?

Could it have been the fact that a number of ‘well known’ brands have had their systems hacked in the last year and he used his card in one of those organisations 18 months ago.

We look after our security but that still did not stop the card being fraudulently used.

Never let your card out of your sight.

Never give full details over the telephone unless the operator confirms that part of the call is not recorded.

Never use your card online unless it is over a secure server.

Make these two actions part of your regular financial regime:

- EVERY 6 - 12 MONTHS TELEPHONE YOUR CARD PROVIDER AND TELL THEM YOU HAVE LOST or DAMAGED YOUR CARD. DESTROY IT AND ORDER A NEW ONE!

- CHECK YOUR CARD STATEMENTS AND BANK STATEMENTS EVERY WEEK – EVEN IF YOU NEVER USE THEM - JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK THEY ARE ZERO BALANCE THEY MAY NOT BE!