"It will never happen to me"

This is what we hear on a daily basis from restaurant owners nationwide. Problem is, when it does happen, we as the consumers are the ones that are affected the most.

Yes restaurants are held accountable, they see fines for not protecting your data, some are even shut down. But, consumers are the ones that have our card information compromised because the business owner had this outlook. Consumers are the ones that have to notify one of three credit-reporting agencies, have to contact creditors for any accounts that have been tampered with, have to contact the FTC (877)438-4338, then have to alert the police in their city, change all account passwords, notify the office of the Inspector General, there is a possibility that they will have to change their driver’s license number, and then notify their utility companies to avoid having them issue a proof of residence to the "fake." Let alone, if your card is skimmed, it will probably be used, if you don’t have fraud protection you are going to lose any and all funds that were taken, then most likely have to pay the overdraft fees incurred by the fraudulent transactions, cut up all your bank cards and credit cards, then wait for new ones to come. It is stated that the average person spends 30 hours resolving a simple ID theft case.

Dine Fraud Free helps prevent your card information ever being compromised. Everywhere you go these days, from WalMart to Walgreens, you swipe your card on a customer facing terminal. The restaurant industry is one of few that you hand your card to a complete stranger and they walk away with it. Just the other day at lunch with a cohort of mine, the server at Red Robin took my card to pay for the meal. After a few minutes she walked back over to the table next to us, then to another table, I had to stop her and ask "do you have my card?" Her face went white and she ran back over to the POS system. When she came back to the table she stated "I forgot your card over by the terminal." It is a simple mistake like this that could have compromised my entire bank account. Another server could have skimmed my card, taken a picture with their cell phone camera, or taken the thermal paper from the printer and imprinted my card numbers on it.

Help us to spread the word about Dine Fraud Free. It is the preventative measure that will empower you as a consumer to not have your card leave your hand. Spread the word to your family and friends. Help Dine Fraud Free to become a household name and create a solution for the restaurant owners that think "it will never happen to me" because the truth is, it happens to us.