Male VO: Bills, bills, bills… When they arrive, it can be hard enough to look at the bottom-line… never mind wading through the charges.

BUT… if you don’t check your charges, you could end up paying for things you never bought. That could be the result of a thief stealing your information, or a merchant making an honest mistake.

Thieves don’t need your actual credit card in order to use it – just your card number and expiration date.

And other times, a store might accidentally charge your card several times. It’s a slip-up that’s easy to fix… IF you spot it.

So read your bill and be on the lookout for unexpected charges on your statement. And if your card is ever lost or stolen, call your credit card company immediately to report it.

For other helpful advice on using credit cards, check out FTC.gov.

A tip from the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency.