Here I go again:identity theft is next.

ddd228, you do tend to post a lot of personal information (e.g. types of credit cards) that a persistent scammer can work with.

Date of birth, with just one or two other bits of personal info, can cause problems.

Scrub your profiles, LVA and every other site you post to.

Or better still, un-check the box that allows your profile to be visible.

I think the best advice I received a few years ago was to use one card exclusively for any internet activity. Then use another card for any non-internet purchases, but the lines are being blurred these days.
The best thing most of us can do is to buy a shredder and shred any financial information before you toss it. One of my neighbors had his garbage taken and they took the convenience checks that some credit cards send you for balance transfers. He was hit for about 2K before he was alerted.

Also, try and have a low online footprint. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you still can get hit.
I tend to use mostly cash in Vegas unless it’s for the hotel/car.

I had my wallet lifted at the LV Hilton back in 2003. When it came time to apply for a mortgage loan in 2004 I found out the bastard had accumulated two lates on my credit rating. Even though I contacted all of my credit card companies, this bastard sure knew what he was doing. He opened a small credit card from a company that issued cards for people trying to reestablish their credit. He tried to take out cell service with Sprint, which they caught. He took out service and was late with Nevada power, with Sprint for two land lines, and with the cable company.

Each and every time I could prove that I wasn't a resident of Nevada and could eventually get things removed. This guy had to leave a good trail. Each and every time I asked if they were going to pursue the guy, I got the answer that it would be turned over to their fraud department. I really got the feeling that if the debt was below $500 they just wrote it off.

I did set notifications on all my cards and services whereby I would be notified if someone was trying to take out a new card or loan or had charged something to one of my replaced cards. That service expires after a certain time.

I've had American Express catch fraudulent activity three times now. I never mind them calling me. They shut the card down immediately and overnight me a new card.

I just wonder if this bastard threw my wallet in a drawer and plans to use it at a later date. I always hold my breath when they run my credit.

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I'll take your advice. Thanks.
One of my debit charges was done in France and another in Luxemburg.
WOW! Besides California.

I belong to a credit union. Best of both worlds. My card is a debit from the banks' point of view so i don't have monthly charges, but acts as a credit card when I make purchases. It comes out of my account but if it gets lifted it must be used as a CC so has that protection. They also contact me if they know a place has been hacked, like Staples was, and issues me a new CC immediately. No need to search out companies to pay fees to for protection.

One other thing, ........... not so much if your identity is stolen, but if your card is lost or stolen;

I don't sign the back of my credit cards.
This means that astute clerk (they should always check anyways)
will see it not signed, and ask for a picture license.

Rick

That's exactly what I do also, sign the back of cc with "show photo ID". I've only had one problem so far, and that was with Amazon. I only use the one credit card for purchases on-line, and mostly from Amazon. Started getting movies sent to the house from blockbuster video that I hadn't or wouldn't order, called Chase and they said there was about 750 dollars worth of computer equipment ordered from Amazon, I told them not from me, and they stopped shipment and issued a new card. Haven't had any problems since.

A little tip the rep told us the last time our card number was stolen.

He told us to not use "pay at the pump" for gas purchases as the transaction can somehow be externally compromised. I always pay inside now, unless the pump has the zip code verification functionality. Obviously some stations require you to use the card at the pump or pre-pay, so not always an option, but other than that I always go inside now.

A little less convenient, but haven't been "popped" since I started doing that.

We had two situations fairly close to each other prior to that. One was a purchase in Paris - the other for a small purchase at a WalMart in North Carolina. Once the anger passed, we did find a little humor in the contrast!

I don't sign the back of my cards either, but I do write on the signature strip "SEE DRIVERS LICENSE"

If you leave it blank, someone else can just fill in your name with their handwriting.

That's all fine, but now at most places you just slide the card through the reader and the clerk doesn't handle it at all. And signature pads are getting to be a thing of the past.

And most sig pad signatures look like you did it blindfolded with your left hand (or right hand, for you lefties), nothing remotely resembling your signature.