During the Christmas and summer period, the Western Australia Police would like to remind the community of the typical increase in numbers of fraud-related offences associated with stolen credit and debit cards.

Historically, the WA Police Major Fraud Squad has observed that credit/debit cards are the targets of criminals during the Christmas and New Year period with a marked increase in cards reported stolen from homes, vehicles and letter boxes. The stolen cards are then used to draw down funds or for online/telephone purchases.To avoid losing credit or debit cards and being a subsequent victim of fraud, police would like to encourage people to follow these simple tips:

Don’t leave your wallet/purse inside your vehicle or shopping trolley.

Ensure that your letterbox is secure. If you are going away, have someone collect your mail or have it redirected.

Check expiry dates on your cards. If your card is due for replacement, arrange for its collection from the financial branch.

Be vigilant when using cards at an ATM or EFTPOS machine.

Protect your identity at all times. Cover the keypad when entering your PIN and keep it secure, for example not inside a wallet/purse for others to gain access.

If you have your credit/debit cards stolen, immediately contact your financial institution and have a stop placed on the card.