Make sure you know who has your credit card information

If you are like me there are certain companies and organizations where it is convenient to register your credit card, either for payment upon purchase (eg, one click on Amazon or your on-line RX drug supplier) or for payment on a recurring basis (eg, health insurance, utility bills).  It is becoming more obvious there is risk in that practice.  However, if you accept that risk, there are a couple of things you can do to mitigate the risk:

1. Monitor your credit card transactions daily.  The easiest way for me to do that is by using the Quicken account update feature.  Each day I start Quicken. I have set it up to download all the transactions in all accounts (from the last time I did the download).  On the flip side, I have Quicken set up to automatically record in the ledger all recurring transactions I have set up.  Typically, Quicken records the pending transaction a day or two before it is actually executed by the biller, so I should have a warning of the transaction and a matching execution download.  If I don't have a match, then there's a possible breach.  If you notify your credit card company right away you won't be liable for the charge. 
2. Maintain a list of every place you have provided a credit card number for automatic transaction.  That way, if you know of a breach, you can both cancel the old card and know that you have to replace that card with another card.  If you don't replace the card, you will miss payments, with a resulting late payment notice and perhaps a penalty.  

Number 2 is what most people don't do.  Please don't be one of them.