Identity theft is on the increase, and your local merchants may be assisting, rather than debilitating the process!   Does your cashier ever insist that you must sign your credit card, when checking out?  Do you voluntarily sign your card anyway?  I know that credit card companies' literature inform that you must sign the back of your card to make it valid, but think about this, logically:

     1.  Many merchants simply allow you to 'swipe' your card at the register - no questions asked.  Some request additional info(zipcode, etc.) to be input.

     2.  When ordering anything on-line, or over the phone, your signature is not viewable, and only the security code on the back of your card is asked for(sometimes), to assure possession of the actual card.

     3.  All credit card companies have customer liability limitations, in case of card theft, but everyone that I have known who has had a stolen card(including myself) has never been forced to pay anything for illegally purchased items, and those charges are gladly eliminated by the card companies, wanting to retain their customers.

     4.  If you do sign your card, you are giving forgers the ability to know your exact signature - making it easier for them to duplicate and difficult for you to disprove that you did not make the illegal purchases!

     What to do:  DO NOT SIGN your credit cards!  On the signature strip, simply PRINT the following - SEE PHOTO ID

     This will enable you to prove that the card is yours, when requested, and prevent others from obtaining access to your financial assets.  If a clerk/cashier insists that you must sign your card(as a Postal clerk tried with me yesterday), insist that you will not(as I did), and ask for a supervisor(another employee suggested she relent.)  If the supervisor denies your actions, it is in your best interest to find another merchant!  And when an employee asks to see your photo ID(many never do, unfortunately), please remember to thank them, as they are protecting your best interests.  For those that do not, either ask, 'Why not?' or report the event to the store manager, as this is for all customers' protection!
     And one more thing - check your receipt - if your entire credit card number is printed on the receipt, ask the store manager why this is so.  Most, but not all, merchants have converted to up-dated systems which only print the last four digits(the others are x-ed), because all receipts are printed in duplicate - allowing potential ID theft from store employees!
     Remember - using your credit cards can both save and, actually, make money for you, when used wisely.  Charge!!!