University of Illinois Extension
Accent Photo
Download as PDF
<< Return to Fact Sheets

Protect Your Credit Information

Today, credit card fraud is big business. Most fraud happens because someone steals credit card information.

Be prepared if you lose your credit cards.
On average, today's consumer credit card/loan user has13 credit obligations on record with a credit reporting agency. Of the 13 credit obligations, nine are likely to be credit cards and four are installment loans. What would you do if you lost all of your credit cards? Who would you call? Do you have your credit card numbers recorded somewhere?
Use the form below to list all your credit card information and toll-free numbers to call in case a card is missing or stolen. Add lines if you have more cards. With this information, you don't need credit card insurance. Keep this list in a safe place for easy reference, but away from prying eyes.

Credit Card

Account Number

Expiration Date

Number to Call

Other Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal Trade Commission -www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/about-identity-theft.html

Myfico.com - http://www.myfico.com/crediteducation/averagestats.aspx

Other Resources
Federal Trade Commission
http://www.ftc.gov
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt01.shtm

Illinois Attorney General Office http://www.ag.state.il.us/consumers/savvy consumer IDtheft.pdf
http://www.ag.state.il.us/consumers/Identity Theft_Resource_Guide.pdf

For more information on identity theft, see a related Credit Card Smarts fact sheet, "If A Victim of Identity Theft."

Written by Susan Taylor, Consumer and Family Economics Educator, Matteson Extension Center, University of Illinois Extension, 2009.

<< Back | 1 | 2 | 3 |