Dealing with credit card fraud for the first time is often a nerve-wracking experience – at first. The second that Georgia consumers realize that a thief has made unauthorized charges with their card or card number, they might panic, and that’s understandable. However, credit cards come with built-in fraud protection under federal law. This is in addition to the liability protection offered by individual credit card companies. Knowing that they have these protections should give Georgia cardholders a sense of relief. However, you must act quickly to take advantage of complete liability protection. It is also a good idea to check your credit reports after the incident just to make sure that the only compromised information is your credit card number.
Steps for Georgia Consumers to Take Immediately After Discovering Credit Card Fraud
If a thief steals a wallet or purse containing credit cards, file a police report immediately. Next, contact the credit card companies. Georgia consumers should take the same steps if they notice that someone has stolen a credit card number and made fraudulent transactions. Call the police and file a report first, then contact the credit card issuer.
Because hackers and scammers frequently lift credit card numbers from websites and physical cards, consumers in Georgia should check their credit card statements regularly. If you have online access to your accounts, taking a few minutes to check your statements daily is good practice. This way, you can catch suspicious activity quickly.
When Georgia consumers call issuers to report credit card fraud, they should report the theft, cancel their cards, and dispute bogus charges. Under federal law, you are only responsible for up to $50 dollars if a thief uses your credit card or credit card number for unauthorized transactions. Also, most credit card companies have zero liability policies, so you probably won’t even pay the $50 dollars.
Again, just make sure that you act quickly. Most issuers impose a time limit on their zero liability policies. Also, most Georgia card users want to get compromised credit cards canceled as quickly as possible. This way, they can expedite the arrival of their new cards and make the necessary changes to their recurring payment information.
What Georgia Consumers Should Know About New Credit Cards Issued After Credit Card Fraud
When you report credit card fraud to your issuer, they close the compromised account and issue a new card. However, the age of the account shouldn’t change on your credit reports, and your credit score shouldn’t drop. Of course, you should still check your credit reports to make sure that the account is reported correctly.
Next, if you have automatic, recurring payments associated with the credit card, update the payment information with your service providers. Then, do everything you can to keep the new credit card and new credit card number safe. For example, always keep your purse or wallet within sight, and only shop on secure, reputable websites. It is also a good idea to never share payment information while using public Wi-Fi.
How Georgia Credit Card Users Can Protect their Credit Scores by Checking their Credit Reports
Georgia consumers should check their credit reports after credit card fraud to make sure that thieves didn’t steal more than just their credit card numbers. Unfortunately, with enough information, identity thieves can set up fraudulent accounts in your name. Scammers use these credit cards, then leave them unpaid, and leads to lower credit scores.
Even if you haven’t experienced credit card fraud, identity theft is a big threat – especially in the wake of the Equifax breach. For this reason, all Georgia credit card users should check their credit reports at least once every 12 months for fraudulent accounts and bogus transactions.
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) entitles consumers to free copies of their credit reports from the three major credit bureaus once every 12 months. Also, the easiest way to get credit reports from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian all in one place is to visit www.annualcreditreport.com.
If, while going over your credit reports, you see signs of identity theft, file a police report immediately. You will need a copy of this report in order to full recover your credit reports after an incident of identity theft. Next, contact Credit Repair Lawyers of America.
When Georgia consumers contact our firm after identity theft, the get access to an experienced credit attorney. We will go to work immediately on your behalf, and we will get every fraudulent item removed from your credit reports legally, and for free.
The Free and Legal way to Get Better Credit After Identity Theft in Georgia
Don’t let identity theft damage on your credit reports bring your credit score down. At Credit Repair Lawyers of America, we’ve been cleaning up credit reports for consumers since 2008 for free. How do we do it? All of our fees come from the defendants in settled cases. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.
Let’s start the conversation about what we can do for your credit. Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (404) 591-6680 or sending him a message through our contact page.
For more information about Free Credit Repair After Identity Theft, please visit https://creditrepairlawyersam.com/fixing-identity-theft/.
