Online Monitoring – if your credit card company allows you to monitor your charges online, take advantage of that to keep track of your charges. Set up an email alert whenever your credit nears its limit, and check for unauthorized charges on a regular basis. Most credit card companies have a 0% fraud liability in place, but this only works on your behalf if you notice a suspicious charge and report it promptly – it can prove difficult to dispute a charge that you don’t notice until months later.

Set Spending Limits – don’t trust your credit card company to hold you to your credit limit. Many companies will allow you to go over your limit in charges, and then access an over-limit fee for each charge that is above your approved credit line. This could mean that a thief with your credit card number might still cash in, even if your cards are maxed out. The best way to handle this is to tell your credit card company not to allow courtesy over-limit spending. While it means you will have to be more careful about your own spending as well, it can prevent a host of problems with over-limit fees down the line.

Leave the Plastic at Home – unless you’re going on a major shopping spree, you probably don’t need every credit card you own in your wallet. Only take one or two, and you minimize your risk if your cards are ever lost or stolen. By keeping excessive cards out of your wallet, you may also cut down on impulse spending, which can help your budget and your credit score in return.

Be Smart about Online Shopping – only shop at reputable sites that you know you can trust. The holiday season is not the best time to be adventurous with online shopping. A merchant website can be up one day and gone the next, so be sure to deal with companies you can trust – and keep your anti-virus, firewall, and browser up-to-date to minimize security risks overall.

Consider Fraud Monitoring – if you can afford it, consider paying for a fraud monitoring service over the holiday season. This will make it simple for you to know if anyone has opened a new account in your name, or is making large purchases on accounts you may not have used actively in some time. Be sure to choose a reputable company, ideally one that will provide a monthly report, either through the mail or online, about your credit activity. Match what you see in the report to what you know you’ve charged, and if you notice discrepancies, contact your credit card company right away.

With credit card fraud and identity theft, the sooner the fraudulent actions are caught, the easier it is to straighten out any potential damage to your credit history. So be alert, shop safely, and always monitor your statements for unusual activity. If you follow these tips, you can enjoy your holiday shopping without worrying about a nasty New Year’s surprise on your credit score.