Holiday Cards Stolen

The number of reported incidences of lost and stolen cards abroad has risen by 17 percent among UK travellers since last year, the latest annual ‘Card Loss Index’ reveals.Released today by life assistance company CPP, the study shows that Spain is the biggest offender.

The popular holiday destination topped the list for the most stolen and lost cards for the second year in a row. It had about twice as many incidents as France, which came in second.Other popular holiday destinations have moved up the list in the last year. Thailand moved from 5th to 4th, Portugal moved from 11th to 7th, and Greece moved from 9th to 8th.

The United States is 3rd on the list, an especially worrying place to lose a credit card. Like Canada and Australia, the States don’t have CHIP and PIN technology, so people can use stolen cards with just a signature.Though more than q quarter of Brits admit to being more concerned about card fraud this year, holidaymakers also admit to practices that put their security at risk while vacationing.Twelve percent say they leave their bags unattended on a sun-lounger, and another one in ten say they hide their cards in their room rather than using a hotel safe.

Sarah Blaney, a card fraud expert from CPP, advises travelers abroad to give their banks their mobile number. This way, the bank can contact them quickly in the event of any unusual transactions.If your cards are registered with a card protection company, make sure you have their emergency 24 hour loss reporting number available.

Other tips from CPP to protect yourself abroad include not carrying multiple cards in one wallet and not letting a waiter or shop assistant take your card out of sight.The company also advises people to check their receipts against their card statements once they return from holiday.