Many people don't read their credit card statements on a monthly basis. You must read your statements on a regular basis, to make sure there are no charges you did not make. Don't just throw them in a drawer and make a payment w/o reading, especially now w/interest rates in the U.S. being changed often.

Often credit card nums are copied from restaurants, don't want to and apologize to restaurant workers, but this is the leading source.

Here is one for you though. A lawyer I know, is sure a court officer took his number, when he had to pay a registration fee at the court, my point being it can be copied by anyone you give it too. It is limited though how they can use it, because if they have merchandise delivered to an address by using the num over the phone, you have a good lead , i.e. that address.

Here is another tip. If possible for the most part try to use debit cards at banks only, or mostly. Some ATM cards in the last few years have showed up at convenience stores. The stores owners, if not big chains, may be a little gullible, and take, or allow an ATM in their store unknowingly built, and provided by a sophisticated ATM stealer. They get your number and actually manufacture a card with your pin num and use it at your bank.

Many may not have heard this, but ATM scams have become so sophisticated, as to the ability to build and provide machines to steal info.

I avoid convenience store AtM's like the plague.