Credit card fraud is an international criminal activity that is increasingly run by organized crime syndicates that have industry insiders on their payrolls. Increasing professional knowledge of these crime syndicates and their techniques will greatly aid in the pursuit of such criminals. Following an introduction on the extent of credit card fraud, which reports global losses to the extent of $3.8 billion, the rudiments of the credit card system are explicated. The basic components of credit card fraud are discussed and include the categories of counterfeit, card-not-present, lost-stolen card, intercepted in post, fraudulent application, and other. A table presents the card fraud losses in the United Kingdom during the period 2000 through 2001 by category. Next, the author examines various types of credit card fraud, beginning with point-of-sale fraud and ghost terminals which involve setting up a fake or ghost operation to qualify for card-reader installation. Card-not-present fraud is also discussed and involves stolen card details to make fraudulent purchases over the telephone or via the Internet. Internet fraud has ballooned as online e-commerce has become more widespread. Internet fraud involves the fraudulent use of card details to make card-not-present transactions. Lost or stolen cards are usually fraudulently used before the owner reports the card loss. Identity theft on credit card accounts is currently minimal but there is a possibility that this type of crime will increase as credit card security measures increase, such as embedded microchips in cards. ATM fraud occurs most often when consumers write down their Personal Identification Number and keep it in their wallet or purse. Finally, the author cautions that expatriates and foreign tourists are main targets for credit card fraud schemes in Asia and Africa. The technology to prevent credit card fraud already exists and involves simply assuring that the credit card is genuine and that the person using the card is the true owner. The introduction of secure chip cards in countries such as the United Kingdom will aid in the prevention of credit card fraud.