Technology has made the world a dangerous place in terms of hacking and cyber crimes. People can easily get access to everything that someone else tries hard to keep private, in just a matter of seconds. One such example is with debit cards.Although they do look like credit cards, you cannot get your money back in the case of fraud in the way you can with a credit card. Because of this, debit cards can be a jackpot for thieves, but it all depends on where you swipe your card.
There are a few locations that are more dangerous to use your debit card than any place else. The first one happens to be outdoor ATMs. Public, unsecure ATMs have become an extremely dangerous place to swipe your debit card because of skimming, which allows thieves to record your debit card information when you run it through a skimming machine. A skimming machine reads the magnetic strip on a card, and are often placed by people with malicious intent over the real card slot, These machines can also be found in areas like parking lot payment kiosks and outdoor vending machines, so make sure to check the place that you swipe your debit card. If it looks like it’s been tampered with, it’s probably better to look for a different option.
The second most dangerous location to swipe your debit card is a gas station. At a gas station, not only can thieves place skimming machines over card slots, but they can also put up video cameras that will record unsuspecting customers’ PIN numbers. Gas stations, like ATMs, are out in the open, and they obviously don’t have much security, so you might want to use a credit card or even cash.
Another place that you’ll want to avoid using a debit card is . . . the Internet. Yup, the World Wide Web is definitely an easy way to shop, especially when you don’t want to use cash or credit. But, laptops and computers may have malware or spyware installed on them, which allow hackers to collect people’s personal information. Cyberspace is definitely not a place that you want to venture into unprotected.
Restaurants are also a location where debit cards should be avoided. Debit card numbers may be kept by waiters, in cashiers, and in card terminals. Additionally, phone orders can also be broadcast to thieves, so be aware that your debit card may not be the safest way to pay over the phone.
The world can be an unfriendly place at times. Don’t overestimate the safety of it, and make sure to take extra precautions with things like debit cards.