With the recent attack on the Target stores you have to wonder if using your credit and debit cards are a safe way to exchange your hard earned money for goods? I read a article some years ago that talked about handing your debit card over to a waiter or waitress while you are out to dinner. You should always only hand over your credit card because they are protected by the credit company that issued them. With you debit card if you hand it over and someone cleans out your banking account that can be on you. It is like giving someone the keys to your car and then they steal it.
So how can we protect ourselves from fraud and hackers? Is there a way to stay completely safe while maintaining that sense of ease to swiping our cards? I guess you could use only cash for all of your purchases. I tried this one weekend after learning more about big data and how I am tracked with every swipe. It lasted till about noon and then out came my card and I was swiping away. Think of how life without plastic would change you entire life. We live in a fast paced fast moving World, we can’t slow down to walk into a gas station and pay before we pump.
The only way I can think or even guess that you could be safe would be to signup for one of those services that protect your credit. Check with your companies that you have your cards with and see if they have a service that will email you whenever a charge of withdraw happens on your cards. This could be a pain at times, but it will protect you in the future. At the end of the day protect your cards the best you can, but remember no one yes no one can see a hacker hiding in the systems.
