Hints for hanging on to your cards

- Sign a credit card immediately when you receive it.

- Periodically check your cards to make sure they have not been lost or stolen. Some thieves take only one card to make the loss less noticeable.

- Review your monthly statements and call the credit card company if there are charges you did not incur.

- Don't loan your card to others, even family members.

- If you do not receive a new card when your card expires, call the credit card company.

- Don't put your payment and bill in your mailbox. Drop it in an approved mail box.

- It's probably safe to give a credit card number over the phone to a company that you contacted. But if a business calls you to solicit your number, be very cautious.

- Recent telephone scams include persons masquerading as bank personnel checking to see if your card is Y2K compliant, or "contest" personnel saying you've won a prize and need to pay for the shipping or other charges with your credit card.

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