Here are some helpful tips on how to protect yourself from credit card fraud:

• Avoid letting other people handle your credit card or take it out of your sight.
• Don't carry credit cards that you never use.
• Never sign a blank credit card receipt.
• Don't send credit card information by e-mail, and don't respond to e-mails that invite you to go to a Website to verify credit card information.
• Don't respond to any e-mails from banks or credit card companies that tell you there's a problem and want you to click on a link to solve it.
• Don't give credit card information by phone unless you've initiated the call and are sure of the people you're dealing with.
• If you get a call from someone who claims to be from your credit card company and asks for your personal information, it's a scam.
• If you accidentally leak information to an apparent scammer, contact your credit card company at once to have your card canceled and replaced.
• Keep all credit card receipts in a secure place, or shred them before you throw them out.
• Check your statement every month. Some people don't and never see that someone else has been using their credit card. Report any charges you don't recognize.
• Don't trust any e-mails referring to a class-action lawsuit. If you're asked to pay a fee to receive your settlement, it's a scam.
• Business owners should beware of orders where the billing address and shipping address are different--especially on international orders. In those cases, request a fax with the client's signature and credit card number.
• Beware of unusually large orders. Use the phone to confirm them.
• Report suspected scams to the Federal Trade Commission and your state's attorney general.