Credit card fraud warning issued

Credit card users in the UK, many of whom are already dealing with a debt management headache, have been warned that they risk being defrauded by using their cards outside the UK.

Figures from the UK’s payment association Apacs show that instances of fraud relating to credit cards issued in the UK but being used abroad increased by as much as 126 per cent during the first six months of this year.

Despite this, the overall level of credit card fraud in the UK is falling, but Apacs is keen to encourage Britons to secure their financial details and make sure potential criminals cannot access their personal identification numbers.

“These figures show how the fraudsters have changed tack,” said Sandra Quinn, director of communications at Apacs.

“A couple of years ago they were mainly stealing cards and card details for use in UK shops and cash machines, but today, they have been driven overseas – using fake magnetic stripe cards.”

Apacs recently released a guide aimed at helping young UK consumers avoid unnecessarily high levels of credit card debt.