Paying for travel expenses on credit? Watch your bill!

This past fall my credit card numbers were stolen. After the thieves tried unsuccessfully to download internet purchased software on Christmas Eve, we were alerted. Thankfully the bank caught the unusual purchasing pattern and the incident cost us only time.

ICH Services Credit AlertA new credit card fraud is sneaking a small $9.95 charge onto the accounts of thousands of customers through a company named ICH. A consulting firm in Pittsburgh- ICH Services - say the charges aren't coming from them.

First National Bank Second Vice President, Clint Sporhase, said the bank is trying to track the charges. "We'll work back, either through the merchant if possible, or through the network it was processed through - Visa or Mastercard - to try to resolve this for the consumer," Sporhase said.

If you're buying anything through a Website (accommodations, flights, etc.) only do business with accredited companies that host a secure site. Look for icons like a lock symbol on the browser's status bar or a URL that begins with "https" - the "s" stands for secure.

Never, ever email financial information. It's not a secure way to communicate and a reputable business will never ask you for social security number, credit card numbers or bank accounts in that manner. Print a copy of your transaction, making sure it's dated before filing it away to compare with your monthly statement.

If you see a strange charge, call your bank and lodge a complaint - immediately. Give your bank authorization to fight the charge on your behalf and demand a new card.

Have you ever been the victim of identity theft or credit card fraud?