subject: Avoid Holiday Fraud And Give Yourself A Break [print this page] . Always lurking around and swift to act when we are most vulnerable, these forces are restless in preying on unaware holidaymakers. Things they are after? Your passport, credit cards and personal details. Yes, card fraud is on the rise and this year won't be any different.
According to government sources someone's card is stolen every four seconds. It's a stark figure for sure, but you must remember that card fraud is more likely to occur during the holidays when you are not as vigilant as you normally would be. After all, the whole idea of going on holiday is to switch off and relax! Therefore, before packing your suitcases, read the below tips so you can rest assured that your cards are safe and will not fall into wrong hands.
Keep an eye on your belongings all the time. Obvious as it might sound, having your credit card or passport stolen can be a source of major inconvenience. In the event of such happening you should immediately contact a relevant institution to report a loss of documents or a card. List of emergency phone numbers can prove to be handy. Depending on how many cards you have in your wallet, it may take a while to get through to all the relevant numbers, but it's certainly worthwhile as it's the best way to avoid card fraud.
If you have card fraud insurance, always check what this covers. One of the most recent forms of card fraud - 'card not present' fraud - is not always covered. The most common way this fraud occurs is online, when you give your details out to a site posing as official pages, such as banks, to trick users into giving their details away. Be extra vigilant online - always look for the 'lock' icon on your browser - because if you're not covered by this then you could find yourself out of pocket.
For anyone ready to spend that little bit extra and have a complete peace of mind, card protection might be just the solution. This insurance is offered by agencies specialised in tackling card fraud. If your cards are lost or stolen you will normally be able to get a replacement organised after calling in the problem to your agency. Depending on your cover, you may also receive some emergency money to help with holiday expenses and they may also help you organise replacement passports and tickets to get home.
If you want to make sure this holiday season doesn't turn into card fraud nightmare, you need to plan in advance and be ready for every eventuality.
