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Apacs: London worst for card fraud

Rates of credit card fraud are at their highest in London, payments association Apacs has said.

The comments confirm recent findings from the CPP Group, which found that one third of the capital's residents had previously fallen victim to a card scam.

According to Apacs, London's large size and population is the main reason for its high fraud rates, rather than any particular lifestyle difference between its residents and other Britons.

Spokesperson Mark Bowerman added: "London is the fraud hotspot in the UK, but the fact of the matter is there are more cards in issue in London and therefore more transactions and more retail outlets in London.

"As long as you are a cardholder who's following common sense…you can minimise the chances of yourself becoming a victim; and [they are] the same steps to take whether you're in London or in Yorkshire."

More generally, figures from the association show that total card fraud losses increased by 26 per cent between early 2006 and 2007.

The rise was driven by a 126 per cent increase in fraud on UK credit cards being used overseas.

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