Smart tips to protect yourself while shopping

Shopping should be enjoyable—not stressful. Keep your personal and financial information safe with these practical tips:

Secure your receipts

Never toss credit card receipts into public trash bins. Shred them at home to prevent identity theft. Carry receipts in your wallet or purse not in your shopping bags.

Be selective about payment methods

If you suspect a business doesn’t handle customer data responsibly, consider paying with cash instead of credit or debit cards.

Stay alert during transactions

When paying your bill, keep an eye on what cashiers, servers or bartenders do with your card. Card “skimming”—copying your card details for fraudulent use—is a growing threat.

Know how your data is stored

Before filling out applications for loans, credit, mobile services or memberships, ask how your information will be stored and disposed of. Some businesses—including auto dealerships, rental agencies and retail stores—have been known to mishandle customer data. If you’re not confident in their practices, take your business elsewhere.

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