 TITLE: Steps to Take if You Are a Victim of Credit Card Fraud CONTENT: Detecting and Fending Off Credit Card Fraud\n-------------------------------------------\nIt's possible to detect credit card fraud early by routinely checking for signs of shady activity on your credit accounts:\n*   **Review your card statements monthly**, whether you get them online or in hard-copy form, looking carefully for unexpected purchases or cash advances. If you see any unfamiliar purchases, contact the card issuer immediately to dispute the charges.\n*   **Check your credit reports** from all three national credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). You can download your reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you have your reports, look for unfamiliar inquiries—credit checks associated with applications for new credit—and loan or credit card accounts that you didn't open. If you see any credit report entries that look fishy, use the contact information in the credit report to notify the creditor in question. They can give you more information, begin an investigation and may ultimately notify the credit bureaus to remove the account. You can also file a credit report dispute if you believe there are inaccurate entries on your credit reports.\nIf you suspect you have been the victim of identity theft, consider visiting the Experian Fraud Center to place a free fraud alert on your credit report. When a fraud alert is in place, potential new lenders are asked to verify your identity before issuing any new accounts in your name. You only have to contact one credit bureau to have a fraud alert put in place on all three of your credit reports. You can cancel the alert at any time.\nEnrolling in a credit monitoring or identity theft protection service such as those available from Experian, automates the process of checking your credit reports and accounts. They also notify you by text or email when credit checks are performed, so you can spot suspicious activity and act quickly if you suspect fraud. END