Protecting your credit card information from fraudsters is a job with many layers. It’s a good idea to check your credit report and bank statements frequently, and you can prevent someone from applying for credit in your name by freezing your credit records.
For extra protection, you may want to start disguising your actual credit card number with a virtual number—especially if you plan to do most of your shopping online this holiday season. Most Capital One and select Citi cards, as well as mobile wallets from Apple, Google and Samsung, offer this feature, which randomly generates virtual numbers that are linked to your credit card.