ESCANABA -- Many people opt for the convenience of using a debit or credit card when making purchases. They're lightweight, linked to your checking account or a line of credit, and they're accepted worldwide. And that's what makes stealing someone's identity from one so appealing.
"To be able to use a stolen credit card is very easy, but it's very time consuming, but the cases are provable," said Detective Lieutenant Darin Hunter of the Escanaba Public Safety Department.
Upper Peninsula State Bank's Chief Financial Officer, Scott Beaudry, said that using common sense is the best line of defense against those looking for easy cash.
"You can pretty much do away with most of the fraud that occurs as long as you are practical about handling your information and practical about how you perform your transactions," said Beaudry.
Keep a close eye on your account so you can spot transactions you're sure you didn't make. If you lose your card, contact your financial institution right away. And remember that credible callers don't ask you to first verify information like your checking account or social security number.
"Keep in control of your cards, keep in control of your information. and not giving out your information and falling prey to some of the common scams that are out there," Hunter added.
Detective Hunter also said that credit and debit card identity theft has actually decreased because of the paper trail that makes it easy for offenders to be caught.
He also said that if you've been a victim of identity theft, consider running an annual credit check on yourself to determine what's been opened up in your name.
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