Credit card fraud a higher risk in Birmingham

Recent data has revealed that residents that live in and around the Birmingham area of the West Midlands could be at increased risk of credit card fraud compared to other areas. The information indicated that Birmingham residents were also at increased risk of becoming victims of debit card fraud, although both debit and credit card fraud is a major concern that affects all areas of the UK.

The information comes after an analysis that showed that the residents of Birmingham had the highest number of claims from people that said that they had been the victims of credit and debit card fraud. Around a third of the people living in Birmingham have been victims of card fraud according to a recent survey, putting this area head of the other parts of the UK. According to the insurance firm CPP, people living in Britain’s second largest city were at increased risk of having their details stolen in the post or online, with a close runner up being Plymouth.

Anyone that uses their credit or debit card in Birmingham – and throughout the rest of the UK – is warned to ensure that they are careful and vigilant whilst conducting transactions. Consumers should never give out card details over the phone unless they have initiated the call themselves, and should not provide account details in response to an email, even if the mail seems to be from their banks, as this could be part of a phishing scam, which is becoming increasingly common.

Another factor that could reduce the risk of card fraud is the effective destruction of all paperwork that contains account details. Never throw statements and other documents with your account details on in the waste paper bin – instead shred the letters and statements so that thieves cannot get hold of your details by going through your rubbish, which is a crime hat many people fall victim to.

Tom Smith
1st May 2007