Dr Hywel Francis MP urges people in Aberavon to keep personal details secure
16th March 2007
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has urged constituents to remain vigilant with their personal details following the announcement that fraud on UK cards in Wales increased slightly in 2006. The overall figure for card fraud losses on UK-issued cards decreased by 3%.
This small increase is an important reminder that personal security is as important as ever as fraudsters continue to target people's cards, PINs, passwords and financial details.
Dr Francis said,
"I urge everyone to remain vigilant about taking care of personal financial information. People need to take common sense precautions such as: looking after cards and PINs: checking that the website you're shopping on is secure; and following up on any missing post from your bank or utility company.
"If you are an innocent victim of fraud you will be refunded, but being a victim is never a pleasant experience. Your personal details are valuable to others - take care of important documents and treat all your paperwork and bills as confidential information."
Part of the fight against fraud is educating consumers on what they can do to protect themselves from being a victim. There are some simple precautions everyone can use to help minimise their chances of being targeted. Some of these are listed below:
- When entering your PIN use your spare hand and your body to shield the number from any prying eyes or hidden cameras.
- Be alert when using a cash machine. If someone is crowding or watching you, cancel the transaction and go to another machine. Do not accept help from seemingly well-meaning strangers and never allow yourself to be distracted.
- Never accept a cheque or bankers' draft from someone unless you absolutely know and trust them. Be especially wary when accepting a high-value cheque, for instance if you are selling a car.
- Sign up to Verified by Visa or to MasterCard SecureCode whenever you are given the option whilst shopping online.
- Regularly check your credit rating; this is usually a good indication to whether your identity has been stolen by a fraudster.
