下面是小编整理的你不可不知的信用卡安全知识，欢迎大家阅读。

Recently, I bought a jacket at Ralph Lauren inNew York City (an admittedly extravagant gift tomyself for finally finishing my first book). At checkout, the clerk asked me to fill out a contact form. “No thanks,” I said. “I don’t like to give out my email address.”

“We won’t spam you,” he said. “It’s just to notify you when new items become available.”

After I briefly explained how spam works, and that notifying me of the availability of new items notonly constitutes spam, but pretty much defines it, the clerk smiled politely and said “no problem.”As he went into the back to run my card, I noticed a second clerk standing nearby. He’d overheardour little back-and-forth and was smiling wryly to himself. Finally, he couldn’t hold it anymore. “You know they can get to you through your credit card anyway, right?”

This gave me pause. I did know that, didn’t I? I mean, if a business wants to spam me, they caneasily figure out my contact info from a purchase I’ve made. And that’s when a second, moreinsidious thought struck: If it’s that easy to spam someone after they use their credit card, how easywould it be to steal their identity?

When it comes to credit cards, there’s a whole universe of information out there, and much of itconsists of black holes. That is to say, most of us simply don’t know what we realistically should orshould not be concerned about. Sure, none of us want our identities stolen, our accounts hacked, ouremails spammed—but what exactly are the risks and what can we do to mitigate them?

Following are 8 essential security measures we should all be taking with respect to credit cards. Thesetips will help us avoid spammers and identity thieves alike.

1. Treat your cards like cash.

Would you hand a bartender a pile of cash and say “I’d like to open a tab?” So why do that with acredit card? We tend to treat cards differently than cash because they’re plastic. And hey, ifsomeone snags your card, what’s the worst that could happen? Well, it’s called identity theft, andit ain’t a walk in the park. To avoid this, start thinking of and treating your credit cards like cash.Don’t leave them lying around or in the hands of strangers. Yes, this makes life slightly moreannoying, but just think of how annoying it would be if someone snatched your card and copied orcloned it. Remember, a credit card is like a pile of cash. Treat it as such.

2. Only buy from trusted websites.

Online shopping is all the rave these days, and often times we enter our credit card informationwithout giving it a second thought. That’s basically an identity thief’s wet dream. To keep thewolves at bay, make sure you check for security signs from whatever site you’re shopping from.These include a URL that begins with ‘https’ instead of the standard ‘http.’ That ‘s’ standsfor ‘secure,’ which means the site uses encryption code when transmitting data online. Also checkthe page for a lock symbol or security firm icon from a trusted firm like Verisign or McAfee. Thosesymbols indicate a secure site.

3. Be careful when you travel.

The universal language isn’t English anymore—it’s code. That means that a hacker can snag yourpersonal information from anywhere in the world. So be sure to be extra cautious when you travel.Only use your card at bank ATMs and trusted retailers. Let your bank know where you’re travelingand what the dates are so they can notify you if there are any suspicious purchases. And alwaysupdate your antivirus protection if you’re bringing a laptop with you.

4. Avoid public computers and WiFi.

People love to go online shopping whenever the mood strikes. Sometimes this means shopping on apublic computer or open WiFi network. This is extremely dangerous as these platforms are especiallyvulnerable. So here’s a neat little trick for you: Feel free to browse and comparison shop onlinewhen you’re on an open WiFi network, but don’t purchase anything. Wait until you’re on asecure server (your home computer) before making a purchase. This has the doubly-positive effect ofhelping to curb your impulse-buying habits! As for public computers, never enter credit cardinformation on them. Hackers often install malware onto public computers specifically targetingonline shoppers. Plus the computer’s cache can store your personal information, making it easierfor someone to steal it.

5. Never save your credit card number.

I know, I know, that whole ’1-click’ thing makes life super easy. But just think of how easy you’remaking the life of a hacker or spam-artist by storing your credit card info on a retailer’s server.Remember that massive customer breach of Target not long ago? Sure, identity thieves can strikeanywhere. But storing your information with a retailer is like standing in the middle of a war zonewith a giant bullseye painted on your back. Better to take the time to input your card info for eachand every purchase (this also helps curb impulse-buying, by the way).

6. Keep your PIN number safe.

This one is obvious, but bears repeating anyway. You should never ever EVER give out your PIN toanyone, ever. Not your parents, not your friends, not your priest or rabbi. Not even if God herselfcame down from heaven and demanded you hand it over. Sorry God, no exceptions here. The ‘P’in PIN stands for personal. Make sure to keep it that way.

7. Be wary at the ATM.

Thieves love to hang out at ATM terminals with devices that can snatch your card info – sometimeselectronically. They use counterfeit cards with magnetic strips to clone your information and makefraudulent purchases. So be wary whenever you use ATMs. Always shield your PIN number fromview, never accept help from anyone, and if a sketchy dude or dudette is hanging around the ATMmachine, it might be best to move on to the next one.

8. Watch out for phishing scams.

A phishing scam is any scam that lures a potential victim into giving away personal informationwhich can then be used to steal their identity. A popular example is the follow-up email from aretailer you recently made a purchase with. If you receive an email claiming there was a problem withyour order, and you need to resubmit your credit card info or input the last 4 digits of your SocialSecurity number, a red flag should go up. Any legitimate retailer that needs additional information tocomplete your order will ask you to return to the site and submit information on an encrypted page(and this information will never be your Social Security number). When in doubt, call the customerservice number to speak directly with a representative.

While the whole idea of identity theft may seem scary and invasive, the fact remains that we live in abrave new world when it comes to personal information. More and more of our information is beingstored in more and more places around the world, which makes it that much easier for thieves andspammers to acquire it. But don’t be discouraged, and don’t throw in the towel. While you cannever completely eliminate the possibility that your information will be stolen, you can reduce thelikelihood of such an event occurring. All it takes is a little awareness and a willingness to take thenecessary precautions.