Imagine receiving notifications about suspicious fees in a Credit Card I haven’t received it yet. How can it happen?
It sounds surprisingly unsettling, but with the rise in digital credit card fraud, it has become more and more common. Criminals are data breaches, phishing schemes, and Cardless scam.
Here are how these schemes work and the steps you should take immediately to protect yourself.
Crook stealing credit card information illustration (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
How does that happen
Even if your new credit card has not yet arrived, it may be already vulnerable. Often, this issue is not about the card being physically stolen, nor about making someone digitally accessible to your information. Criminals can begin using their card by leaking their online account features, mobile wallets, or personal data before opening the envelope. Below are some of the most common ways that this type of fraud occurs:
1. Acquisition or Access Account
If the scammer already has access to your account, you will need to have stolen login credentials, hacked emails, or Malwareyou can view newly issued card numbers on the online dashboard or on the mobile app. Many credit card companies now have instant access to their digital card numbers for use with Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or online purchases. This means that as soon as a new card is issued, the physical card may appear digitally before it is shipped. If the scammer has access to your account, you can start spending by adding numbers to your digital wallet before the envelope hits your mailbox.
2. Digital Wallet Hijack
Some card issuers can instantly add credit cards to your mobile wallet, even before the physical card arrives. While this feature is useful, it can also be subject to certain security risks associated with mobile wallet activation. Criminals may take advantage of this process by using stolen personal information to bypass security checks and adding cards to their Apple Pay or Google Wallet account. We may request a new card, intercept or reroute the digital activation process, or pause to immediately begin an unauthorized purchase. This type of scam can be difficult to detect, especially if you are not expecting a new card or if your fraudulent fees are blending into a legitimate transaction.
Illustration of a person using a digital wallet (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
This is a way to prevent your credit or bank cards from being hacked
3. Phishing or Data Breach
Another common scenario involves breaching your personal information Phishing Attack Or large scale Data Breaches. The burglar will use this stolen data, such as your name, social security number, address, and answers to security questions, to impersonate you, access your account’s dashboard or reset your login credentials. Once inside, you can get new card details directly from the source and request a replacement card. Phishing scams trick victims into revealing confidential information through fake emails and websites, but data breaches reveal a huge amount of personal data that criminals can use to make fraudulent activities.
4. Email theft
Fees made before receiving a new credit card are not due to theft of mail, but this type of traditional scam still poses a risk. Criminals can intercept your emails to steal sensitive documents, including credit cards. Credit cards can be used for fraudulent purchases. To mitigate this risk, do not leave important emails in your mailbox. Consider using it Informational delivery by USPS You will either track incoming emails, send your credit card to a safe location, such as a PO box, or request that it be delivered directly to your bank branch.
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
People using new credit cards (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
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What should I do right away?
If you are in this situation where you are experiencing fraudulent fees on cards you have not received yet, please follow these steps immediately.
1. Change your login credentials: Update all your login information at your bank or credit card company.
- New Password
- Security Questions
- Pin (if applicable)
If your account is linked to an email address that could potentially be compromised, we will also update the password for that email account. Many scammers can access it by hacking emails first. This allows you to provide entries for password risk links and confidential notifications. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Get my details Find the best expert reviewed password managers of 2025 here.
2. Uses powerful antivirus software. If Spyware or KeyLogger is installed on your device, you can still steal sensitive data, such as passwords and personal information, even after you change your credentials. To protect yourself, install powerful antivirus software on all your devices. Get the best 2025 Antivirus Protection Winners picks for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
3. Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA): addition MFA to all accounts related to your financial information. This adds an additional layer of security by requesting a second verification step (for example, code sent to the phone) before accessing a sensitive account.
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4. Use the Identity Theft Protection Service. Personal information theft companies can monitor personal information such as social security numbers, phone numbers, and email addresses and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or used to open an account. They can also help freeze bank and credit card accounts to prevent further fraudulent use by criminals. See my tips and best choices on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
5. Investing in personal data removal services: Consider using personal data removal services to reduce your online exposure. These services continually monitor and remove sensitive information from data brokers and websites that criminals may misuse. This reduces the likelihood that your data will be used in phishing scams or other fraudulent activities. Although there are no services that promise to delete all data from the internet, deleting a deletion service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of continuously deleting information from hundreds of sites over a long period of time. Check out our top picks for data deletion services.
6. Ask your credit card company to investigate. Please contact your credit card provider directly and request a full investigation. Before a fraudulent billing occurs, ask if there are any suspicious account activities, such as logging in from a new device. You may be able to trace when and how your account was accessed. Most card issuers can reverse fraudulent charges and reissue different numbers of new cards.
7. Law Enforcement Notice: Submit a report to Federal Trade Commission. If necessary, police reports should also be submitted to document the fraud. This will help you challenge the claim and clear the record.
Don’t let this credit card scam nightmare come to you
Important takeouts in your cart
So we’ve revealed how these sleazy credit card charges surface, even before they hold their cards in their hands. This reflects the increasingly digital world we live in, and our personal information can become vulnerable in amazing ways. Use powerful antivirus software to consider personal data removal services to minimize your online footprint. If you find yourself in this situation, act quickly by changing your password, enabling multifactor authentication, and reporting the issue to your card company.
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