"Big rise in credit card fraud"
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/041004/344/f3uow.html
Consumers have been warned to be on their guard following a big rise in credit and debit card fraud.
Card fraud increased 18% to £478.8 million in the 12 months up to June this year, according to figures from the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS).
However, crime involving cards which were either lost or stolen in the post soared a massive 51% to £61.2 million.
Experts fear that cards are being taken by mail staff or intercepted before reaching card-holders, for example when post is left in communal hallways of flats.
APACS believe fraudsters are stepping-up their activities during the introduction of new Chip and Pin card technology.
The programme means that, in 2005, the vast majority of face-to-face UK credit and debit card transactions will be authorised by the customer keying in their PIN (personal identification number) rather than by signing a receipt.
Jemma Smith, a spokeswoman for APACS, said: "The vast majority of cards get through securely but it is a fact of life that anywhere you have cards you also have people who are trying to get hold of them."
She said fraud relating to cards classified as "mail non-receipt" was made worse because the crime often went undetected for longer.
"The cards are being issued when you may not be expecting a replacement. The first time you know something is wrong is when you get your statement."
APACS is advising card-holders to check their account regularly in order to spot bogus transactions.
