A surprise report has named Brighton as the worst place in the UK for credit and debit card fraud –
ousting London from the top spot.
The annual Card Fraud Index study, carried out by protection specialists CPP, indicated that 38 per
cent of people in Brighton had fallen victim to card fraud at least once. The other worst spots in
Britain were London, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds and Edinburgh.
The worrying figures also showed that over a quarter of the overall adult population of the UK have
experienced card fraud – over 13 million people.
CPP spokesperson Sarah Blaney said: “In 2010 we saw a 3% decrease in card fraud incidents in the
UK compared to the previous year. This in itself is good news and shows how progress is being made
to reduce the number of victims. In particular, online fraud has decreased, which could be a result
of industry initiatives such as Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode.”
However, CPP stressed the need for consumers to remain vigilant. Measures they say people should
use to protect themselves from card fraud include:
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Don’t carry all your cards in the same wallet or purse – only the essential cards you need
Don’t leave belongings unattended while shopping
Don’t carry cards loose in a bag or pocket
If your cards are registered with a card protection company, make sure you have their
emergency number
• Never write down your PIN
• When paying in a shop, restaurant or bar, never let them take your card out of sight
• Don’t give your card to a friend or relative to use an ATM on your behalf
• Always check your receipts against your statements when you get home
• If you are concerned your cards may have been lost or stolen, contact your bank
immediately to get the card cancelled
• Make sure your bank has up-to-date contact details for you, including your mobile phone
number in case they need to check if transactions are genuine.
