Published in The Telegraph
Friday, March 11, 2011
Half of Britons are worried about becoming victims of card fraud but many are failing to take simple precautions to protect themselves, a survey has shown.
Of those questioned, 48pc said they were worried about losing money as a result of having their card stolen or cloned, with 59pc of people saying they thought the crime was on the increase, according to payment systems group ACI Worldwide.
Nearly two-thirds stated that they were more worried about being the victim of fraud because of the current tough economic climate, with 36pc saying they now had less money and could not afford to lose any.
But despite this, 9pc of people interviewed admitted that they kept their Pin number with their credit or debit card, making it easy for someone to use their card if it was lost or stolen.
Andy Morris of ACI Worldwide said: "When it comes to fraud, prevention is obviously better than a cure. Banks need to continue to inform consumers about how they can protect themselves against fraud."
A survey last month found that card users were putting themselves at risk of fraud by revealing their Pins to other people.
Despite the strict recommendations from card providers about keeping Pin numbers confidential, research by shopping website VoucherCodes.co.uk showed that almost 60pc of cardholders were flouting the rules by sharing their bank card Pin codes, putting their personal finances in jeopardy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/borrowing/creditcards/8365876/Half-of-Britons-fear-card-fraud.html