In the last year, it’s estimated that criminals were able to steal $3.2 billion through credit card fraud. Worse, the numbers of credit card frauds continue to rise. It’s beyond the point that cops are likely to be able to catch a crook if he commits that sort of crime. Hoping that you’ll get your money back if something happens shouldn’t be your only solution, though.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself from credit card fraud. It’s up to you, though — saying that you plan to start doing these things in the future isn’t going to stop a problem now.

1. Review your statement as soon as you get it. As soon as you spot your credit card bill in the mail (or online), open it and go over it. Look for any charges you don’t recognize.
2. Keep your receipts. You’ll want to double check your receipts each month against your credit card, to make sure that charges are correct. Don’t throw away your receipts — there are people with no compunction about rooting through your trash. Personally, I keep all my receipts at least until I finish my taxes for the year, just in case I can deduct something. But if you choose to get rid of your receipts sooner, you should at least shred them before throwing them out. You can get a decent shredder for under $40 at most office supply stores.
3. Shred credit card applications. You should be shredding any sensitive information before throwing it out — and credit card applications are definitely sensitive. It’s very easy for someone to complete one of those pre-approved applications in your name and rack up bills without your knowledge.
4. Shop online carefully. Not all websites are completely secure, so you should think about how reliable a site seems before you purchase through it. Big sites that are known to do lots of transactions are generally okay, but if a website looks like no one has ever bought through them before, be cautious.
5. Keep an eye on your card. When you use a credit card to pay for something, watch where it goes. It may not always be in your sight, but the more observant you are, the more likely you are to catch someone trying something with your card.
6. Carry only the cards you need. On any given day, do you really need to carry a stack of credit cards thick enough to play a round of poker? Odds are that you’ll only need one or two, so leave the rest of the cards at home. This goes double if you’re traveling — the more cards you carry, the more likely you’ll lose at least one.
7. Write down your numbers. If anything does happen to your cards, you’ll need the contact information on the back of your card, as well as your account number on the front. It’s kind of a Catch 22, but you can make the situation easier by already having a list of both numbers. Want to make it super easy? Photograph both sides of your card with a digital camera, and save the files somewhere safe.

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