Yellowknife (Aug 23/06) - It's been a busy week for credit card fraud in Yellowknife, according to Mounties.

Within the last several days, fleeced card holders have reported three thefts to the RCMP - the same number of complaints that were filed in the first six months of 2006.

The RCMP has several recommendations to protect yourself from credit card theft. Shred or burn all financial, banking and credit card and debit receipts. Don't throw them in the garbage. Check your statement carefully every month. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, change your credit card number. Employees should always check signatures on the credit card with the signature on the receipt. Businesses should invest in new credit card machines and scrap the old manual ones. Ask stores and credit card companies about their buyer protection programs.

One victim, who spoke with Yellowknifer but didn't want her name revealed, said she recently fell prey to scam artists. Someone gained access to her credit card number through a receipt from an area business that still processes credit cards manually.

Police believe the suspect (or suspects) used a crabon copy to make two purchases, each over $1,000.

The woman said she would have never made the purchases, a gravestone and bingo tickets.

When her statement was received, she immediately noticed the charges, and called up her credit companies. She said the companies wrote off the charges and planned to contact the police.

The woman has decided not to use her credit card at businesses which haven't switched from the manual system.

Mei Ankrett, Manager of Public Relations at Visa Canada Association, said the company takes fraudulent charges on credit cards very seriously.

"Fraud hits one per cent of overall sales," Ankrett said last week.

Visa plans to release cards with microchips and pin codes to make it harder for scam artists. The new measures would replace the magnetic strips and signatures.

"In other countries it has reduced fraud 80 per cent," Ankrett said.

Right now, it is only available with the Bank of Montreal's Visa Platinum card, but should be on all plastic sometime in 2007.

Const. Troy McLean, with commercial crime unit at the Yellowknife RCMP, said it is strange to see three credit card frauds in one week.

"Credit card fraud in Yellowknife is very rare," he said.

"It is done by isolated people, and not by organized crime like down south."

McLean said, however, that a criminal syndicates could extent their fraud schemes to the North. He advised consumers to be careful with what they do with their financial documents.

"Not only is there credit card fraud, but there's also identity theft. It is too easy to become too comfortable with online purchases," he said.

He said that some banks now offer pass codes for online credit card and debit use.

"Be careful of your debit cards as well, because they are as much as a target as your credit cards now."