International Calling cards - What to be widely awake

Your close relatives are staying abroad and you are feeling lonely? How I wish you had an international calling card in your mobile cell so that you can converse and feel close to them. Prepaid cards enable you to contact people in any nook and corner of the world in an incredibly fast pace and at nominal rates. Even uneducated persons at the street corner are habituated to use these international calling cards.

For prepaid cards, you are required to pay money for outgoing and incoming prior to activation. Incredible isn’t it?  The card reminds you of how much the balance is, and when you have to renew your account. Some of the famous international calling cards are AT&T, Orange, and Hello world. You have to do lot of research in selecting the kind of cards that are suitable to you, without just reading the ads given by the marketing people. Because of the high international roaming rates which your present mobile card is charging, I suggest you go for an international roaming SIM and calling cards where the rates are highly economical. Some international calling cards get automatically recharged when the available balance amount nears the minimum and they do not require PIN number. Some international calling cards provide internet services, if your mobile is also having the facility. These are the basic international calling card features.

Now I have to caution you regarding some international calling cards scam. There are innumerous complaints that many international calling cards give you lesser talk time minutes than what they have promised. The hidden charges and unfair fees do not come to notice of the user. More complex are problems involving many international calling cards.

International calling card scam has come to limelight thanks to the efforts of consumer rights organizations. You would definitely be eager to know some of the problems involving international calling cards. Thieves have come to know of the utility and value of these international calling cards and made them targets of theft. Long distance travelers until now know only the urgency to protect their bank credit cards. They are completely ignorant of the possibility of theft of international calling cards. Criminals organize a systematic operating net to steal international calling cards and sell international telephone calls to the public at $8 to $ 12 per call.  Stealing is not physical removal of the card but knowledge of the 14 digit authorization code is enough for fraudulent usage by the thief. More inconvenience is caused to the legitimate users of international calling cards because the telephone companies on detecting fraud in the use of authorization code deactivate these codes to minimize loss. Ultimately the legitimate user is not able to use these cards in emergency.

Now that you are aware from this article about the international calling card scam, I am sure I have awakened you and saved you from money loss and disappointment. Read below the seven steps to overcome the danger of international calling card scam when you talk on a public phone.

Memorize your international calling card number and avoid its physical usage in public place. It can keep away the thief. Avoid people closely standing by when you enter the 14 authorization code digits. Hide with your body, the display screen of the keypad from others during above operation.
Do not share your calling card number with anyone.

In case of placing operator assisted calls, use low conversational tone so that no stranger is able to make out the numbers. Do not divulge your international calling card number to persons claiming to the telephone security because genuine telephone security personnel would be aware of your number for deactivation if fraud is detected.

Do not quote your international calling card number for identity purposes. Report as soon as possible to company issued your card in case your international calling card is lost or stolen. This enables the latter to deactivate your compromised card instantaneously.