Have you checked your credit- or debit-card accounts lately?

It might be a good idea to do so, given the recent uptick in bank-account fraud affecting many people around the Flathead Valley.

Many local residents in recent months either have become victims or know someone victimized by card-number thieves.

The surge in bank-account fraud has left people wondering where their money went, bankers working to protect them and law enforcement trying to put a stop to the crimes.

Fortunately for consumers, local banks have been covering tens of thousands of dollars of fraudulent charges rung up by thieves, mostly on debit cards belonging to Flathead Valley residents.

When someone gets their hands on your card numbers, bad things usually happen, such as mysterious charges at stores half a continent away in cities you have never visited.

There are a variety of ways that criminals obtain your critical bank numbers, ranging from hacking into databases of merchants to using electronic devices that skim the numbers from ATMs or gas pumps as people swipe their cards.

There may be no way to combat all the numbers acquisition schemes, but diligent vigilance by consumers can make the situation less painful.

Here are some tips:

Closely monitor your bank and credit-card accounts as well as your credit reports.

Sign up for banking alerts if they’re offered by your financial institution. These can tell you if there’s unusual activity on your card.

Notify your bank immediately if you suspect fraud involving your accounts. If you wait too long, the bank may not cover your losses.

The ultimate solution to avoid debit- or credit-card fraud is a hoary old tradition: Pay with cash. For those of us used to the ease of purchasing with plastic, this is not a painless option. But it might be the last line of defense from a seeming universe of identity thieves.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.