Local MP, Gordon Prentice, is warning people in Pendle that criminals are targeting bank cards and card details more than ever.  Latest figures show an overall increase of 14% in card fraud losses compared to last year.

The MP said: “Having been a victim myself of card skimming earlier this year I shouldn’t be surprised that there has been an increase.  But the figures are quite startling.  ‘Card not present’ fraud, that is, when orders are placed by phone, mail order or internet, has gone up 18 per cent in a year to a total of £161 million And skimming and cash machine fraud have both gone up 22 per cent.

The MP added: “The online situation is even worse, with an increase of 185%, although this reflects the continuing growth in online shopping.  At the same time more and more people are falling victim to ‘phishing’ attacks, where fraudsters set up a website that is a fake version of a genuine one and then send out thousands of emails which try to fool people into entering their online bank security information on the fake site.”

“Fraud abroad is also growing and accounts for 40 per cent of all card fraud by location.  I welcome the European banking industry’s commitment to introduce chip and pin to all countries by 2010, which will help to bring the figures down.”

“At home, the introduction of secure online payment systems such as Verified by Visa and hand held card readers, however tiresome, will help stem the losses.  Everybody can play a part in protecting themselves by practising basic card security, and not forgetting to check their bank statements.”

Here are two sites you may find useful:

• How to avoid online fraud - at Directgov
• Bank Safe Online