These can take many different forms, however the following lists some of the more prevalent ones: Fraud involving payment cards In order to obtain your credit or debit card information, there are numerous forms of card fraud that either entail the actual card being stolen or the sensitive data stored on the card being stolen. This might happen if you are not there when the transaction takes place, like when you buy something online, or if the card is out of your line of sight, like in a restaurant. ternatively, the scammer could make you think you are talking with a trusted organisation and trick you into providing the information, or even illegally copy the information from the magnetic strip on the card and create a ‘cloned’ card with your details on it. Debit and credit cards each have their advantages, and are suited to different situations. A major advantage of using credit cards over debit cards is that the level of protection offered is generally higher, namely when something goes wrong with a purchase, or if your card details are used fraudulently. Although most debit card providers are starting to offer a form of protection when you make purchases using your card, there is no legal obligation for them to do so. Mobile payment security Contactless payment is also possible using your smartphone, or other device, such as a tablet or smartwatch. However, unlike using a debit or credit card, you are able to make payments of over £45 (although for transactions over £45 you would have to enter your PIN into your smart device). Using a smart device may be more convenient for you, however you should be aware of the additional risks associated with making payments in this way. ‘Phishing’ scams This is when scammers attempt to obtain your private, sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, PIN, credit card details, and sometimes money, by pretending to be from your bank or other financial institution, a company you regularly do business with, or from your social networking site. They may do this via email, web page, text message or phone call.