Card-not-present transactions are those where neither the card nor the cardholder are present at the point-of-sale, e.g. orders over the Internet, by mail, telephone or fax. Card-not-present (CNP) crime involves using fraudulently obtained card details to make a purchase. As with counterfeit fraud you may not be aware of the fraud until a statement is received showing a transaction that you did not make.

You can take simple, yet effective, precautions to protect yourself from becoming a victim of card-not-present fraud:

• Always check your bank and card statements for suspicious transactions. If there are any suspicious entries you should contact your card issuer immediately.
• When disposing of bank and card statements – and any other receipts and financial information – you should shred or burn them.
• Never leave your card or your card details lying around and never let anyone else use your card.
• Be prepared to co-operate with retailers who may ask you to confirm your full address and/or provide your Card Security Code - the last three digits on the back of a MasterCard, Visa or Maestro card, or four digits on the front of an American Express card.

Make sure all your cards are registered for Mastercard SecureCode and Verified by Visa, and use the services where available. For more information on the services go to the cardholder card-not-present FAQ section.