Digital and cashless transactions soared during the pandemic–and they’re here to stay. In turn, bank card fraud cases in the country also increased.

Read on and find out how you can keep your card information safe and secure, whether you make online or offline transactions.

Keep your information private

Whatever information you share on social media can easily be stolen and used by fraudsters to take over your accounts and make unauthorized transactions. To stay safe, never share personal information, especially your bank details and government data.

If you fall victim to identity theft, do the following:

• Report it to your bank immediately. Head to your branch to close the compromised account.
• Check your accounts and dispute the fraudulent activities.
• Change your passwords.

Protect your card

Card skimming is a common type of bank card fraud that involves physical access to your card.

It’s when fraudsters steal your personal data from your ATM, debit, or credit card while it’s being used at an ATM machine or card terminal. This can happen in the form of an illegally installed device that captures your PIN or clones your card. It can also be done when someone peeks at your ATM PIN while you withdraw, or when a service staff writes down your card details while you pay in a restaurant.

To prevent card fraud via skimming, do cardless withdrawal if it’s supported by your bank and make sure nobody can see your PIN when you enter it into the machine. Always keep track of your purchases. If you notice transactions you didn’t make, contact your bank. It’s best to enable SMS notifications so you know right away if your card is used by someone else.

If you lose your card or it gets stolen, whether it’s your debit, credit, or ATM card, report it to your bank and block it immediately. Request for a card replacement and file a dispute for the unauthorized transactions. As a safety measure, never write your PIN on your ATM card.

Secure your card details

Card-Not-Present (CNP) fraud is why you should keep your credit card details private. This type of scam usually happens in online or mobile payments when cards are not physically present during a transaction. If a fraudster gets hold of your credit card number, expiry date, and CVV2/CVC2 (the last three digits at the back of your credit card), they can commit CNP fraud against you.

To prevent CNP fraud, never share your credit card information to anyone, not through emails, phone calls, or unverified websites. Cover the CVV with an opaque sticker to prevent it from being copied.

The same goes with your One-Time Passwords (OTPs). Do not give out your OTP to any unknown sites or callers. Only input your OTP directly on your official mobile banking site or app, or on secure payment gateways.

If you become a victim of CNP fraud, call your bank to block your debit or credit card. Change the log-in credentials of your online banking accounts and monitor them for any unauthorized or suspicious transactions.

Choose a card with fraud detection and prevention features

Aside from fraud detection, banks now offer debit and credit cards that can prevent fraud. Here are some features to look for when choosing a bank and a card:

• One-Time Password (OTPs). These are unique passwords sent to you via SMS that authenticate online transactions before payments go through.
• Transaction verification via SMS. This is an SMS sent to your phone if a suspicious transaction on your credit card is flagged. The SMS typically includes the amount of purchase, date and time, and your card’s last four digits. The message should be from the bank’s official SMS sender.
• EMV technology. EMV cards hold your information in a metallic chip instead of in a magnetic stripe. These chips are only authenticated by verified special readers, which makes them safer and more secure than magnetic stripes.

Adapted from ”How to prevent credit card fraud”