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The Independent reports crime carried out on debit and credit cards is expected to have topped £600 million last year - a record high.

Sandra Quinn, a spokeswoman for UK payments service Apacs, which will release the statistics, said: "Having your card details stolen and used can be worrying and create a lot of hassle.

"What's more, people are increasingly finding that when they are on holiday abroad, their cards are being stopped for security purposes."

As a result, the news source has advised consumers of some simple steps to reduce the risk of card crime.

Protecting PIN numbers, looking for anything out of the ordinary at cash machines and refusing to walk away when cards are swallowed by a machine rank in the top three measures.

Meanwhile a spokeswoman for credit card provider Barclays reassured consumers earlier this month that new contactless debit cards would not be an increased security risk.

She told the Times: "A lost and reported card will be immediately cancelled and no longer useable"

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Credit Cards	0% Balance Transfers	0% Purchases	APR Representative (Variable)
	Tesco ClubCard Credit Card
	9 months	15 months	16.9%
** 16.9% APR representative (variable). Based on a credit limit of 1200 and purchase rate 16.9% p.a(variable). **
	Virgin Credit Card
	20 months	3 months	16.8%
** 16.8% APR representative (variable). Based on a credit limit of 1200 and purchase rate 16.8% p.a(variable). **
	Barclaycard Platinum with BT
	22 months	3 months	17.5%
** 17.5% APR representative (variable). Based on a credit limit of 1200 and purchase rate 17.5% p.a(variable). **
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