I have used debit and credit cards constantly, my entire adult life, and I have only ever had the number stolen *once*.

If it keeps happening to you, I would suggest that one of your regular haunts is repeatedly stealing the number, or perhaps is regularly the victim of dumpster-diving.

As you use the new card, I would recommend looking at every receipt you sign, and if you ever run into an establishment which doesn't asterisk-out your number on *both* copies (theirs and yours), then make sure to scratch out the number on both copies before signing and returning.

I could have *sworn* that they had passed a law (perhaps only in some states?) requiring that POS terminals asterisk-out the number. Does anyone have any links to information on this if it's true?