Holiday Credit Card Tips

15th June 2007

With the holiday season fast approaching, APACS, the UK payments association, and travel association ABTA have published a guide on using your credit card abroad. Over £23 billion was spent abroad last year by consumers on plastic cards and fraud overseas has risen in countries where Chip and PIN is not fully implemented.

Losing your credit cards, or having them stolen can be a huge inconvenience and an even bigger problem when on holiday. The guide recommends the following holiday tips for foiling fraudsters :-

1) Only take the credit cards with you that you intend to use whilst on holiday. Leave any other cards in a secure place at home.

2) Consider letting your credit card company know that you intend to use you card abroad. If your card issuer suddenly sees a large number of foreign transactions it may want to contact you to confirm they are genuine and if it can not reach you may put a hold on your credit card.

3) Always take the 24 hour emergency contact numbers for your credit cards with you on holiday, so that you can contact your credit card company should you need to.

4) After your return from holiday always check your credit card statement carefully for any transactions that you do not recognise.