Don’t be a victim of card fraud this Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, many people will be out and about using their credit and debit cards in stores, restaurants or cash machines. But fraudsters are also likely to be active at this time of year.

To help people avoid becoming victims of fraud, Nationwide Building Society has placed a podcast on its new Members' Zone: nationwide-members.co.uk/podcasts

The podcast explains the tricks fraudsters get up to and how customers can take steps to avoid becoming victims of card fraud. It also talks about the fraud prevention measures the society has in place.

Pete Corrie, Nationwide's head of fraud prevention said: "We have a range of robust systems in place to protect Nationwide members from fraud. But each customer also needs to take responsibility for protecting their personal details. If you want to make sure the festive season isn't spoilt by fraudsters you need to be aware of how they operate and make sure you don't fall into the traps they set."

Top five tips to avoid card fraud:

Never keep your PIN number with your card
Never let your card out of sight - e.g. in restaurants
Beware of 'helpful' strangers if you are using a cash machine
Check your balance and statements regularly
If you think your card security has been compromised, report it to your building society or bank immediately.

More information on how to beat the fraudsters can be found at:
nationwide-members.co.uk/news/2009/11/11/stop-the-fraudsters-spending-your-cash