Brit holidaymakers hit hard by card theft

British holidaymakers are at increasing risk of their credit or debit cards being stolen or defrauded overseas. Over a third of all card offences committed against UK citizens are now taking place in foreign destinations.

Between 2006 and 2007, the amount of card crimes committed against Brits abroad shot up by a staggering 77%, costing holidaymakers a massive 207.6million. And in the period from June 2007 to June this year, no less than 7000 cards were reported stolen from them, according to the research by CPP.

France, Spain and Italy are the three top hotspots for card theft and fraud, with half of all offences in the last year taking place there. A quarter of those offences occurred in Spain alone.

The figures may be marginally less extreme this year than last, but with new cards being constantly issued and criminals becoming no less ingenious and determined, the message is clear that we can't afford to relax our vigilance about cards when we're heading abroad.

Kerry D'Souza, card fraud expert from CPP said:

We are urging Brits to be particularly vigilant when they travel abroad this summer. When relaxing on holiday, people can be less aware of their belongings and more prone to card fraud and mugging scams. We are encouraging people to contact their banks before travelling, to keep their valuables out of sight once abroad, and to be especially careful when they use their credit and debit cards.

Hopefully, it won't happen to you. To help you make sure it doesn't, take heed of these handy tips, from CPP Card Protection:

1. Don't carry multiple debit/credit cards in a wallet
2. Don't leave belongings unattended while swimming or sunbathing
3. Don't hang your bag on the back of a chair
4. Don't carry debit/credit cards loose in a bag or pocket
5. Tell your bank you're going to be away
6. Take note of all your card details
7. Don't let a waiter /shop assistant take your debit/credit card out of sight
8. Check your receipts against your statements when you get home
9. Don't let someone else take money out on your behalf
10. Don't leave your debit/credit cards in a hotel room-use a safe

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