Cardiff named UK's card fraud capital » Bill Payments » 24dash.com

New research reveals that Cardiff is now the worst place in the UK for card fraud, knocking London off the top spot.

According to the annual Card Fraud Index by CPP, which identifies fraud hotspots across the country, Cardiff has leapt from fifth to first place since the index started in 2007.

Card crime in the Welsh capital has increased by 17 per cent in the two last years, with over a third (37 per cent) having been a victim in the past.

While Cardiff took the lead, other hotspots for card fraud were London (35 per cent), Norwich (30 per cent), Southampton (28 per cent) and Leeds (27 per cent), which leaped from 12th position to fifth in just 12 months.

The report shows card fraud has increased by more than six per cent in the past two years, equating to nearly an extra 3 million victims.

Currently over a quarter of adults now claim to have fallen victim - a reflection of the explosion of new scams fuelled by criminals.

Online fraud remains a huge problem, affecting a third of victims, while card cloning from cash points or Chip and PIN devices accounted for nearly a fifth (17 per cent) of cases.

Worryingly, over a third (34 per cent) of Brits have no idea how their financial details were swiped by fraudsters. And almost half (43 per cent) only found out they had been defrauded when alerted by their bank.

The average sum fraudulently transacted is over £590, with one in six victims (16 per cent) reporting losses of over £1,000.

The study also reveals how fraudsters have been splashing out using their victims' cash. Over one in eight (13 per cent) had their money spent on electronic goods and one in ten on clothing, whilst some poor victims had fraudsters charging holidays to their accounts.

Despite almost a fifth of cardholders (19 per cent) admitting they are more worried about card fraud compared to last year, many confess to taking actions that put them at risk. One in six (16 per cent) has let their credit or debit cards out of their sight, or left their cards loose in their bags or pockets. A further one in eight admitted to writing down their card details, while one in ten have let others take out money on their behalf.

Sarah Blaney, card fraud expert at CPP, said: "Our research shows that card fraud continues to affect more victims as fraudsters resort to increasingly sophisticated methods.

"At CPP we have seen high levels of Card ID theft, where criminals take over the running of another person's bank account - usually by changing the address details and then requesting a new card and genuine PIN to access the bank account. Presently speaking this account for half of our fraud cases.

"We urge all cardholders to be vigilant and take steps to protect themselves to avoid falling victim to card criminals. When out and about never let your card out of your sight. It's also really important to check your bank statements regularly and thoroughly so you can spot any suspicious transactions.

"These are simple steps that are very effective in the fight against fraud. If something unusual does appear on your statement make sure you contact your bank or card protection company straight away. Card protection can give cardholders valuable peace of mind, helping them to cancel and replace their cards immediately and provide fraud victim support, should the worst happen."