31 Oct 7 top tips for keeping your card safe this Christmas

Christmas is the busiest time of year for many shoppers and businesses alike. In the midst of the Christmas madness and mayhem, people let their guard down and become a little less preoccupied with card safety. It is the most wonderful time of the year for many, but keep in mind that it can be the busiest time of the year for card scammers and fraudsters.

Card fraud can be scary but you don’t need to panic. There are a number of simple steps you can take to prevent it from happening and keep your card details safe.

1.When shopping online, make sure you are buying from trusted sources and brands that you know.

2.Only buy online from secure websites – you can check if a website is secure if it has a green lock in the top left corner of the search bar. If it is not secure it will say so in the search bar.

3.Never send any of your card information by email.

4.A popular tactic with fraudsters today is to send out email and SMS messages perpetrating to be your bank or financial institution that ask for sensitive information. This is called phishing. It is important to remember that your bank or financial institution will never ask for your card details or other sensitive information by email or SMS. Delete any suspicious emails immediately and contact your bank if to confirm that it was a phishing email.

5.Protect your card when buying goods face to face – make sure you keep an eye on your card at all times.

6.Report lost or stolen cards immediately, don’t wait until the next day. Most banks have 24 hour phone lines that you can call to report a stolen or lost card.

7.Review your monthly statements and make sure there are no unusual transactions.

What can businesses do to help prevent card fraud?

It is in the interest of businesses to ensure that they doing all they can to prevent card fraud at Christmas. Business owners and management should make sure that all staff are properly trained to accept card payments face-to-face and online.