According to The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, the number of card frauds has increased by 70% during the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2022. This applies to frauds where the physical card hasn’t been stolen, instead the card numbers have been exploited. It’s a big increase in this type of crime and there are some things you can do to protect yourself against card fraud.
The most important thing, of course, is to never give out your card number to anyone. On many sites on the internet, you can pay by entering your card number. Even in those cases, it’s important to be careful. Only shop on sites you know you can trust and that you know are serious. If it’s a site you don’t previously know, make sure to look for reviews about how others have experienced that particular store. Check the store’s own reviews, both on their website and in the comments on their social media. And check if you can find reviews about the store at an independent review site. Search Google and see if there are articles or forums where others warn against shopping on that site.
All banks have different security solutions for card purchases. These can be both activated and deactivated. Check with your bank what applies to your card and consult with them which security option suits you best.
Card fraud is a problem both online and in real life
Sometimes ATMs and gas pumps can be rigged to collect card details that are then used in fraud crimes. It may not always be easy to tell if an ATM or gas pump you intend to use is rigged, but there are some things you can keep an eye on. If you can wiggle the keypad or the card reader, it’s best not to use your card there.
A solution that’s effective but can feel complicated if you do a lot of shopping online is to keep internet purchases on your card blocked. Whenever you want to shop online, you can just activate online purchases for that brief moment. Although it may seem like an ordeal, this solution works really well to prevent you from becoming a victim of card fraud.
If you’ve already been the victim of card fraud, it’s important you block your card and report the crime to the police immediately. The card can be blocked by calling your bank and the crime should be reported by calling 114 14.
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