Identity theft is rife across Australia, and without taking proper precautions, you could very easily find yourself becoming a victim of this horrible crime. What steps can you take to protect yourself?

Internet crime in Australia is now as common as anywhere else in the world. How do criminals get hold of our personal information, and what can we do to stop them?

The thieves and other criminals of the world love to prey on credit cards. Simply because once a card or card number is obtained they have instant access to significant credit lines and purchasing power. Credit card companies are well aware of this issue and have instituted many credit card security measures.

The Internet has had an incredible impact on the way consumers shop, manage their payment options, and keep track of and execute a variety of banking transactions. Online purchases have grown astoundingly in the past ten years, and more electronic payment options are available. With this growth in e-commerce and the potential risks for fraud, leaders in the industry need to determine how credit card users can protect themselves online.

A credit card security code is the three digit number on the back of your Visa or MasterCard or the four digit code on the front of your AMEX. These codes are used for purchases made online or over the phone to verify possession of the actual card. This security feature is aimed at protecting cardholders from fraudulent charges.

One of the ways to make online and telephone purchases more secure is through credit card verification. Merchants will request the security numbers that are printed on your credit card in order to prove that the person making the transaction actually has the card. It is an added protection that is used when signatures and PIN number verification is not possible.