Millions of Australians have had their credit or debit card number stolen, according to new research by Finder.
A survey of 1049 respondents reveals 17% of Australians – equivalent to 3.6 million people – have had their credit or debit card number stolen and used by someone else in the past 12 months.
One in 10 (10%) say they reported the incident, while 4% admit they didn’t. A further 3% didn’t realise until later that they’d been scammed.
The research finds a further 7% have had this happen to them but more than 12 months ago.
Rebecca Pike, money expert at Finder, says scammers are becoming increasingly more sophisticated in their techniques.
“It seems almost impossible for someone to steal your credentials without having your physical card, but it happens quite often,” she says.
“Phishing is one of the most common schemes scammers will use to coerce you into providing your credit card information willingly, but there are also a number of other ways scammers are targeting vulnerable individuals.
“Unsecure public Wi-Fi networks, as well as card skimming machines are also responsible for allowing thieves to copy card information and use it to make fraudulent purchases.”
Ms Pike urges Australians to be more vigilant when it comes to monitoring their account activity.
“Check your account activity frequently so you can report something suspicious as soon as it happens,” she says.
“Opt in to receive alerts when you make transactions – most companies have fraud detection systems in place to notify you if they suspect a suspicious charge.
“Take every step you can to minimise the risk – don’t save passwords on sites, be really certain you can trust anywhere you enter your card into and check ATMs for skimmers.
“Importantly, don’t give your card information to anyone over the phone or via text or email – if someone calls and asks for your number over the phone, assume it’s a scam.”