Metal, Paper, or Plastic?

I am watching this new series "Secret Service Files".  They just revealed many reasons why people should avoid using credit cards.  Another segment focused on the counterfeiting of paper currency.  We all know that the counterfeiting of coins has been a problem for many decades.  I have even been informed by the Federal Reserve that my personal credit card information had been compromised a little over a year ago by a U.S. Mint call center representative.  I immediately had my information blocked and my credit information changed.  Since I only have one credit card with a small credit limit, I have begun to change my credit card information after every one or two uses (1 to 2 transactions per year).  As a person who has had my personal credit card information stolen by a person taking orders for the U.S. Mint, I strongly recommend that everyone heed my advice and protect yourselves from such theft.  I was very fortunate in that this person did not have a chance to use my information to destroy my credit or wipe me clean of all of my assets that were in my bank account at the time (never much anyway).

So, take some time and evaluate your financial positions.  Just remember, if a counterfeit $100 bill is passed on to you, the bank will confiscate the $100 bill and will not credit the money to your account.  They may question you as to where the counterfeit money may have come from.  I would rather educate myself and all employees handling "Legal Tender" (cash) about determining the authenticity of money to minimize losses incurred due to the illegal passing of counterfeit currency than use a system of cyber money represented by a plastic card with numbers and a magnetic strip that could be stolen from someone else or from you.  This can have immediate drastic consequences such as destroying your finances.

Personally, I wish we would return our monetary system to some type of consistent standard.  Yes, credit card transactions and other cyber money transactions are very convenient.  However, personal information is too-easily-accessible to those with malicious intent.  Just think about that whenever you give your personal information to a stranger for a credit card transaction!

-True Money!