Beating Christmas Fraudsters

How to beat the Christmas fraudsters
Shop 'til you drop but stay safe
Chat date: Wednesday 15th November
Chat time: 1pm
www.webchats.tv

As the Christmas shopping frenzy begins, APACS, the UK payments association, thought it would be particularly pertinent to hold a webchat in order to pass on advice to consumers as to how they can protect themselves from card fraud. They have some interesting footage of criminals using fake ATMs and readers to commit fraud, so the public know what to look out for.

Whether shopping on the high street or online in the run up to Christmas, it is essential that you take steps to protect yourself from the dangers of card fraud. In all that frantic festive shopping it is easy to fall into bad habits that play into the hands of sophisticated fraudsters.

The good news for consumers is that the success of chip and PIN has seen card fraud in shops and supermarkets drop significantly. Fraud losses are down by 43% from £73.2 million to £42.1m in the face-to-face retail environment but shoppers are being reminded to be vigilant especially with Internet, phone and mail order transactions, where card-not-present fraud has increased but at a much slower rate than seen previously. In the busy Christmas period it is easy to lose sight of your card or drop your guard when entering your PIN during a purchase, and a momentary lapse is all that is needed to open the door for professional criminals.

When entering your PIN at a cashmachine or into a PIN pad in a shop you should always shield the number from prying eyes with your spare hand. Protecting your personal information is paramount and that also means shredding or destroying any receipts or documents that contain private financial details and not writing down passwords, login details or PIN numbers.

Online shopping is set to smash last year's record with an estimated £7 billion being spent on getting the latest gadgets, toys and fashion accessories. Shopping online couldn't be safer as long as you follow some simple security steps such as ensuring that your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed. You should also register your credit and debit cards with Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode, which enables cardholders to better authenticate themselves with a password when shopping online - making online transactions even safer.

But there are other precautions that you may not be familiar with. Millions of Britons are still not aware of some basic security pitfalls. A quarter of people surveyed by APACS have disclosed their PIN to someone else, 27% use the same PIN for all their cards and more than half of online shoppers never check that a website address changes from http to https (indicating the site is secure) before making a purchase.

When accessing internet banking or shopping sites you should always type the address into your web browser rather than going to a website from a link in an email and then entering your personal details. To make sure that a shopping website is secure check that the security icon (locked padlock or unbroken key symbol) is showing in the bottom of your browser window.

Ten Top Tips to Foil the Fraudsters

1. Don’t let your cards or your card details out of your sight when making a transaction.

2. Destroy, preferably shred, any documents or receipts that contain personal financial information when you dispose of them.

3. Do not keep your passwords, login details and PINs written down.

4. Do not disclose PINs, login details or passwords in response to unsolicited emails claiming to be from your bank or the police.

5. When entering your PIN in a shop or a cash machine use your spare hand to shield the number from prying eyes or hidden cameras.

6. Only divulge your card details in a telephone transaction when you have instigated the call and are familiar with the company.

7. Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed.

8. If you have registered your card for online protection via Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode ensure your password is kept safe and secure.

9. Access internet banking or shopping sites by typing the address into your web browser. Never go to a website from a link in an email and then enter personal details.

10. Shop at secure websites by ensuring that the security icon (locked padlock or unbroken key symbol) is showing in the bottom of your browser window.

To learn more and have your specific questions answered join Mark Bowerman and Richard Martin from APACS live online at www.webchats.tv on Wednesday 15th November at 1300