Avoiding credit card fraud

Fraud on 'card-not-present' purchases has grown by a third over the last two years, according to the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS). This form of fraud, which cost ?109.6m in the 12 months to June 2003, involves the use of a cardholder's details to make purchases online, over the phone, by mail order or by fax - anywhere where a signature is not required.

Sandra Quinn, spokeswoman for APACS, advised credit card users to exercise extreme caution when using their cards. "If you let anyone have sight of your card, statements or receipts, you risk becoming a fraud victim," she said.

Steps you should take to protect yourself from credit card fraud

· Check your statements carefully each month and contact your card provider immediately if there are any suspicious transactions.

· Burn or shred credit card receipts when you have finished with them.

· Never leave your card or details lying around, don't be tempted to leave receipts after paying for items.

· Don't let your card out of your sight. A person only needs your name, card number and expiry date to be able to run up huge bills online or over the phone.

Planning on shopping online this Christmas? Follow APACS's card safety tips

· Make sure you know whom you are buying from. Check that phone numbers are real, fixed-line numbers rather than mobile numbers, and make sure postal addresses are not PO boxes.

· Check for the padlock sign shown in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. It should be locked or unbroken.

· The site's URL address should begin https and not just http - the 's' stands for security.

· To check a company's online security certificate, click on the padlock. You should see the company's website address and details of its certificate.

· Make sure you are using the most recent version of your browser, as security is constantly being revised as browsers are updated.

· Always read the terms and conditions of the site, and print out a copy for your own records.

· Always print out a copy of your order as proof of purchase.