National Card Fraud Prevention Campaign

APACS, the UK payments association, and the UK Petroleum Industry Association have announced details of a National Card Fraud Prevention Campaign. The week-long campaign is designed to act as a reminder for customers to keep their cards and PINs safe and secure at all times.

Beginning next Monday 5 November, customers paying by card at many petrol stations throughout the UK will be handed a small advice card reminding them to remain vigilant to the risks of fraud. The cards contain three simple messages:

Guard your card: don’t let your card out of your sight when making a transaction

Shield your PIN: use your free hand and your body to shield your PIN from any prying eyes or hidden cameras

Be alert: try to ensure that nobody is watching you and that there is nothing unusual about the chip and PIN terminal or cash machine you are using.

APACS figures show that, thanks to chip and PIN, card fraud losses on the UK high street have decreased by 67 per cent in the last three years. However, fraudsters continue to try and copy our cards’ magnetic stripe details to create fake cards that can be used overseas, in countries that do not have chip and PIN. Raising consumer awareness about the importance of keeping cards and PINs safe and secure can play an important part in tackling this type of fraud.

Sandra Quinn, director of communications at APACS, says: “Chip and PIN has been hugely successful in reducing card fraud in the UK but that does not mean that we can lower our guard. Tackling card fraud requires a multi-layered approach and the banking industry continues to work with retailers, law enforcement, the Home Office and organisations such as Crimestoppers to achieve this.

“Consumers can also play their part and we urge them to follow the advice provided on these cards. Simple measures such as shielding your PIN with your free hand whenever you enter it into a keypad will significantly reduce your chances of becoming a victim of fraud.”

Research from APACS reveals that not all cardholders are taking the appropriate steps to protect themselves fully from fraudsters. The 2006 Attitudes to Card Fraud surveyshows that 20 per cent of cardholders ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ shield their PIN when entering it at a cash machine. Similarly, more than one in four people (27 per cent) admit to using the same PIN for all their cards.

Chris Hunt, Director General of the UK Petroleum Industry Association, says: “Our members take customer security very seriously and are pleased to be supporting APACS in this fraud prevention initiative.

“Our members are alert to potential fraud risks and remain vigilant on this issue. The fight against fraud is a shared responsibility. During this campaign they will be issuing advice cards to customers reminding them to keep their card details safe and secure at all times.”

To support this campaign, APACS has recently published two advice guides to educate both consumers and retailers on the necessary safety procedures required for making and accepting card payments. The two guides, Protect your PIN (for consumers) and Transactions with your chip and PIN terminal (for retailers) will help both card-accepting businesses and cardholders minimise their chances of falling victim to fraud.

These advice guides, and details of the Card Fraud Prevention campaign, are freely available from cardwatch.org.uk.