FNB and VISA invited me to a presentation for Card Security Week and what an eye opener it was.

Dudes! These thieves are super super smart and super super quick and super super ruthless!

From tiny hand held card scanners/skimmers to hi-tech scanners and cameras fitted onto ATM machines (fitted in under 8 seconds!) to key stroke loggers to devious phishing emails, these guys know what they are doing!

According to a new consumer survey* by Visa, it has been revealed that there is a sound awareness of fraud amongst the banked population of South Africa. According to the research, ATM fraud, identity theft and point of sale fraud were identified as the most common types of fraud consumers were aware of.

Some rules for keeping your card (and your hard earned money) safe:

• Treat your card like cash!
• Dont let your card out of your sight. Get your retailer, waitron, petrol attendant to bring the card machine to you or go with them to the desk.
• At an ATM, dont let anyone distract you or try to ‘help’ you in any way.
• If you struggle to get your card into the ATM slot, dont use that machine.
• If the ATM swallows your card, cancel it straight away.
• Whatever you do, do NOT update your details via an email from your bank, NO bank will ever ask you to update details in an email!
• When in doubt call your bank.  Rather safe than sorry!!

*The study was conducted by Ask Afrika and involved 350 participants all of whom are banked