Wanna hear something crazy?

Wanna hear something crazy?

When early credit cards were first issued, they had as few as eight or nine digits. Today’s credit cards use a minimum of 13 digits, and some are up to 19 digits long. The most common issuers, Visa and MasterCard, have standardized 16 digits in the U.S., while American Express uses 15 digits.

There are 10 trillion possible combinations of credit card numbers out in the universe, and card issuers are only using about 65 million of them, considering the total number of active credit cards in the world.

The number of credit cards from the four primary credit card networks (VISA, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) is 679 million in 2018. There were a total of 1.06 billion credit cards in 2017 and the projection for 2022 is close to 1.2 billion

With odds like that, the statistical likelihood that a criminal will chance upon a valid account number — and then upon your account number — is very low.

But that doesn’t mean you’re out of danger. Far from it: Data breaches, identity theft, and credit card fraud have all become more common in recent years, and with most of us living our lives online, you shouldn’t expect that to change.

In light of these problems, you need to learn how to protect yourself. Here’s what you need to know about credit card security — and how to bullet proof your credit cards and to stay safe.

1. Don’t lend your cards — credit, debit, or ATM — to anyone. You are responsible for their use. Don’t let your credit cards be used by others, even family and friends.

2. Only buy from trusted websites. These include a URL that begins with ‘https’ instead of the standard ‘http.’ That ‘s’ stands for ‘secure,’ which means the site uses encryption code when transmitting data online.

3. Never save your credit card number anywhere – phonebook, browser, notepad file, slips inside wallet etc.

4. If using an RFID card, use RFID protection wallet. I hope the banks issue these cards with RFID blocker sleeves, which only cost about 20rs on amazon. Otherwise the card would be susceptible to the NFC attacks.

5. Report lost or stolen cards immediately to the company that issued you the card.
To help you respond quickly in case your cards or ID are lost or stolen, save the helpline number in phonebook and wallet.

6. Always check your billing statement to make sure the purchase amounts are correct and to ensure there are no suspicious charges. Contact your service provider immediately if you see a charge you don’t recognize.

7. Keep your cards away from magnets; these can erase the information stored on your card.If you receive a replacement card, destroy your old card. Destroy cards for cancelled accounts by shredding them.

8. Dont be an easy mark: Never share a photo of your credit card on social network or anywhere.

9. Credit card thieves sometimes place credit card skimming devices onto the credit card readers at fuel pumps or ATMs. These skimmers capture and store your credit card information and credit card thieves come back later to get the device. Skimmers are placed on the regular credit card swipe, so if anything looks off about the place you’re swiping your credit card, don’t swipe.

10. No bank will call you and ask for your credit card number. Neither will they email you for details. Never share the details anywhere. If you want more clarification, visit your nearest branch or call your relationship manager/bank helpline.

Use the card responsibly.

With respectful regards
Dr Ananth Prabhu G
www.facebook.com/educatorananth