Banking news
UK card fraud hotspots revealed
19 February, 2007
New research reveals that Birmingham is the capital for credit and debit card fraud. The statistics from CPP shows the UK's 'second city' is home to more card fraudsters than anywhere else.
Brummies are most likely to have their cards stolen via post, or account details taken via the Internet. A staggering 34 per cent of residents in Birmingham claim they have been a victim of credit or debit card fraud, with most unaware they had been a target until the bank notified them.
For those wanting to protect their finances and identity, Plymouth is the second worst place to live with just under a third of people in the seaside town having had their credit/debit cards stolen. However, the people of Plymouth are more vigilant than their Brummie counterparts with more than half discovering their loss when looking at their bank statements.
The third worst place to live for card fraud in the UK is Cambridge, with half of victims saying their credit or debit card went missing; the other half saying fraudsters intercepted their mail. Belfast and London also appear in the top five of places where people need to be more vigilant with their belongings and their payment cards.
Top 10 locations for card fraud
1. Birmingham (34.48% of residents have been a victim
of credit/ debit card fraud)
2. Plymouth (30%)
3. Cambridge (28.57%)
4. Belfast (28.5%)
5. London (28.29%)
6. Leeds (28.1%)
7. Liverpool (27.03%)
8. Manchester (26.32%)
9. Norwich (25%)
10. Aberdeen (24.3%)
Top tips to reduce the chances of falling victim to card fraud:
Make sure your post is secure and know when to expect your credit and debit cards if you have ordered new ones.
Don't let your cards out of sight in a shop or restaurant - they may be copied or cloned
Don't write down PIN numbers, passwords, user names unless you absolutely have to do so, and if you do, keep them very secure and to yourself
When you enter your PIN in a shop or an ATM cover the number from prying eyes or hidden cameras
Only carry the cards you need in case your have your wallet/purse stolen - figures released by the British Crime Survey (25 January 2007) show a 14 per cent jump in personal theft
If you are going to throw away post with your personal details shred it first - this even includes junk mail
If you move house tell your bank, credit card and utility providers. Use the Royal Mail redirection service and consider registering with the mail preference service to prevent mail going to your old address
Keep your personal information safe. If someone asks for your personal details ask yourself why they would need them. This applies to online, telephone, post and doorstep enquiries
If you store valuable documents at home, for example, passports, driving licence and bank statements, keep them hidden and secure
If you store personal information on your PC, install up-to-date security software
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