Safety Of Your Credit Card Information

How safe is your credit card information? How safe is your identity if someone gets your credit card information? If you read the news there are so many ways people can steal your identity. There is even ways they can steal your credit card information and use it. You didn't have to leave your wallet somewhere. You didn't have to have your pocketbook robbed. There are hackers and hi-tech ways of taking your information. It used to be if you went in a grocery store and used a credit card the only person you had to worry about using your information was the teller. Not anymore! According to Yahoo!News someone hacked into two U.S. grocery store chains owned by a Belgium based company, Delhaize Group SA and stole thousands of credit card numbers.

Hannaford Bros., based in Scarborough, Maine, said February 27 they became aware of unusual credit card activity and began an investigation. Data had been illegally accessed during the credit card authorization process. No personal information such as names or addresses was accessed. Stores that were affected were Massachusetts, New England, New York, and Sweetbay customers in Florida. There were 165 Hannaford stores and 106 Sweetbay supermarkets. Nearly 2,000 cases of fraud have been linked to the breach. According to Boston's WBZ radio 4.2 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen. Company officials not immediately available to confirm. Hannaford Chief Executive Ron Hodge offered an apology for the intrusion.

If you think your credit card has been charged for purchases you didn't authorize immediately call the credit card company. Most credit cards are automatically protected debit cards are protected from fraud as well. The banks and the credit card companies do put limits on it though. If you have internet access you might want to do a daily check of your credit card and debit card purchases. Personal information is usually not tied to your credit card number. HUH? The credit card companies and your bank have all your personal information. If you have someone's credit card number or debit card it's hard to get into the person's account to find this information. The companies make you supply that information to them before you can see your account. You have to know your name and social security number before getting access to any information. So be safe and do checks on your credit report monthly and do checks on your charge accounts weekly if you can't check them daily.

Source: Associated Content