City Police Warning of Fraudulent Credit, Debit Card Charges

The Effingham City Police Department has recently experienced a sharp increase in reports from local residents of fraudulent credit and debit card charges to their bank statements. City police are continuing their investigation into these reports.

City Police Chief Mike Schutzbach is reminding citizens that any card holder can fall victim to credit card fraud, so it's extremely important that every individual take steps to prevent it from happening to them. The chief is urging residents to protect themselves by adopting these practices:

--review credit card statements carefully on a regular basis

--save your receipts to compare with your statement

--open your bills promptly...or check them online often...and reconcile them with the purchases you've made

--immediately report any questionable charges to the card issuer

--during a transaction, keep your eyes on your card, and make sure you get it back before you walk away

--never sign a blank receipt, and draw a line through any blank spaces above the total

Although anyone can be the target of credit card fraud, police say taking these steps can help minimize the risk of becoming a victim, and can help reduce the damage done if you fall prey to fraud.

For further information, contact your card issuer.