How Do I Report Fraud to MasterCard?
When reviewing your MasterCard statement, you may notice a charge or charges that you didn't authorize. When this happens, contact your MasterCard credit card issuer at once to replace the compromised card and activate any fraud protection attached to your card. Also, alert law enforcement so the offenders can be held accountable. Finally, consult with an attorney that specializes in identity theft to safeguard your future financial health.
Using a credit card is convenient and increases your purchasing power; however, it also has the potential to expose you to fraud. When this happens, you want to report the matter at once. How do you report fraud to MasterCard? You can make your report by calling MasterCard customer support here, and you can read below about other ways to report fraudulent charges.
How Merchants Help Identify Fraud
Merchants are sometimes the first line of defense against fraudulent purchases. Here are some steps you or your employees can take if you suspect someone is making unauthorized transactions on a MasterCard:
- You or your employees can contact MasterCard Authorization Center here and request a 10 Code Authorization.
- The 10 Code Authorization process generates a call to the cardholder to confirm the purchase.
How You Can Report Fraud
As the cardholder, it is important to review your MasterCard statement a minimum of one time per month to detect any fraudulent activity. When you notice suspicious charges on your account, you can take the following steps:
Contact Your Card Issuer
When you see charges on your bill that you did not make, at once contact your MasterCard issuer. Your financial institution will be able to freeze/cancel your current MasterCard and issue you a replacement card. This will also activate any fraud protection attached to your card. Provide the issuer with the following information:
- Your full name
- Mailing and shipping address
- Account, card or Social Security number
- Date you last used your card
- All suspicious activity showing up on the statement.
The card issuer may then direct you to contact law enforcement to file a report.
Contacting Law Enforcement
After you've notified your MasterCard issuer, you will also want to report the fraudulent activity to local law enforcement. Law enforcement agencies can investigate the matter, find out who made the fraudulent charges, and issue criminal charges against the offender or offenders.
Seek Legal Counsel
You will also want to speak to legal counsel when you become the victim of credit card fraud. Legal counsel can help you review other areas of your credit report for signs of identity theft, and help you avoid legal liability for someone else's actions against you. Inform your attorney of the fraudulent charges on your MasterCard and the steps you took to protect yourself and your finances (such as reporting the matter to your bank and to law enforcement).
Credit card customers are victimized every day by individuals and groups who steal credit card information and make fraudulent charges. If you find your MasterCard has been compromised, you can take the steps outlined above, and you can call customer support here to prevent further victimization.
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