Credit card crime is big business.
If yours is stolen and you report the loss before any unauthorized charges are made, you are not liable for anything.
If you report the loss about fraudulent use of the card, you are liable for only $50, depending on your company.
Nonetheless, the high costs of credit card crime eventually get passed along to consumers (higher annual fees, interest rates, and other charges).
Here are some tips to help you avoid fraudulent use:

• Don't give your credit card number, expiration date, or balance to anyone who calls you on the phone.
  If you initiated the call and it's to a well-known party (e.
  g.
  , you are ordering an item from a reputable company), you're usually safe.
  
• Keep your PIN (personal identification number) or PIC (personal identification code) a secret.
  Don't write the number on your card or on a separate piece of paper that you can carry around.
  
• Destroy the carbon paper from your receipts.
  
• Review your monthly credit card statement.
  Keep all receipts from purchases and match them against your statement.
  
• Sign new cards as soon as you receive them.
  Cut up the ones into small pieces before throwing them in the trash.
  If your card expires before you receive a replacement, call the issuer.
  It may have been stolen route to you.
  
• If you receive a preapproved credit card application in the mail, and you don't want it, rip up the application before throwing it out.
  A credit card thief could find it, fill out the application with a change of address, and get a new one issued in your name.
  
• Keep a record of all your credit card numbers and the phone numbers of the issuing companies so that you can immediately report the loss or theft of them.