With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just around the corner, you’ll no doubt be entering your credit card information online far more than usual. So how can you be sure that you’re not exposing yourself to credit card fraud and other forms of identity theft? Having your identity stolen can be a nightmare that can wreak havoc on your finances and credit score. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect yourself.

Review all of your financial accounts regularly. This is good advice all year round, but especially during the holidays. Watch for suspicious activity, such as purchases you don’t recognize.

If you see anything suspicious, contact your payment method’s fraud department immediately. Here’s our guide to when to dispute a credit card charge versus filing a fraud complaint.

It's a good idea to thoroughly review your credit card and bank statements each month, and to check your credit report at least once a year for any accounts you don't recognize. On that subject…