Card skimming "only takes a few seconds"
To skim or write down information about a credit card takes "only takes a few seconds", consumers have been warned.
Danny Harrison, card fraud expert at CPP, an international life assistance firm, explains people should be vigilant in situations where they would normally relax, as it is in these surroundings where fraudsters can strike.
He suggests such places can include eateries and pubs, adding unscrupulous individuals may take a card away to a chip and pin terminal and commit fraud that way.
"Or, in some circumstances in bars, they will keep hold of your card whilst you run up a tab, so they could have your card for potentially a couple of hours," Mr Harrison concludes.
The expert's comments follow the release of figures from Apacs, the UK payments association, in October, which suggested that total card fraud losses rose by 14 per cent in the six-month period to June 2008 compared to the first half of last year.
Written by ©
