Credit Card & Debit Card Fraud

Skimming occurs when information stored on your credit or debit card’s magnetic strip is stolen when your card is swiped during a sales or ATM transaction. Thieves are then able to reproduce fake cards using your stolen details. Once completed, fake replicated cards can be used to make purchases with your credit line. Dishonest merchants can not only "skim" your card but can also process unauthorised duplicate transactions using your card details.

1. Protect yourself from Skimming

   1. Keep your card in sight so that you know it is only being used on one machine.

   2. Never share your PIN and always be discreet when you enter your PIN. Covering the keypad as you enter your PIN could help prevent someone stealing from you.

   3. Before you use an ATM look for signs of tampering including scratches around the card slot, an unfamiliar or odd-looking card slot or any other features that don’t seem right.

   4. Use an indoor ATM instead of an outdoor ATM if possible, as indoor ATMs are generally harder for criminals to tamper with.

   5. Check your credit card statement regularly and promptly report any fraudulent transactions or suspicious account activity.

   6. Notify us when you go overseas. Letting us know where you are going will help us identify legitimate transactions you make when you’re abroad. It can similarly help us detect suspicious activity and allows us to contact you if we need to verify a transaction.

2. How we protect you against Skimming

   1. The dual measures of chip-and-PIN on our credit and debit cards makes it doubly difficult for criminals to obtain your information. The embedded microchip holds encrypted details about your card that cannot be easily extracted using skimmers and the PIN makes it harder for thieves to use your card for fraudulent purchases.

   2. If you have a credit card that requires a signature rather than a PIN we recommend you contact us so a PIN can be added to your card to provide greater security.

   3. We employ continuous fraud detection measures to quickly pick up unusual card activity. Please keep us informed of any changes to your contact details so our fraud monitoring team can easily reach you to check if a recent transaction was yours.