Please exercise extra care this holiday season with the use of your debit and credit cards. There has been increased reported incidents of cards being cloned. When paying via a Point of Sale machine, ensure that the machine is within your view when your card is being swiped/processed. Some merchants will tell you that the POS machine is in an office in the back of the store, eg., service stations. If you are unable to accompany your card, DO NOT GIVE IT AWAY, as there could be cloning devices around that not visible to you.
Remember, the perputrators do not need your pin for a cloned card, they only need the information on the magnetic stripe on the reverse of the card. Unfortunately, the cards with chips are susceptible to being cloned as well.
When using the ATM, be mindful of your surroundings. Where possible, avoid ATMs in lonely or unlit/poorly lit areas. Try using ATMs that are at locations where security personnel are present. Check the machine and room for any suspicious looking devices and cover the keyboard with one hand while entering your PIN, if unsure, do not use the device.