More and more people are taking advantage of the option to make non-cash payments.

The widespread use and acceptance of "plastic money" makes it very attractive to potential criminals: if they have the relevant know-how and modern technology, criminals can make a copy of any bank card’s magnetic strips.

So look after your bank card and current credit card vouchers carefully. This is the only way to keep track of transactions and money withdrawals from your account.

Some police tips:

• After paying, always check to make sure that you have got back your own credit card. Insist that any wrongly written out credit card receipts together with any carbon copies are cancelled immediately.
• Never tell your PIN to anyone! Neither banks nor credit card companies nor officials (e.g. police officers) have a legal right to ask for your PIN (or credit card data, e-mail password, TAN etc.).
• Commit your PIN to memory and then destroy the PIN letter.
• Never make written note of the PIN! Never write it in an address book camouflaged, say, as a telephone number.
• Make sure that nobody is watching when you enter the PIN at an automated teller machine or in a shop. Ask pushy people or would-be helpers politely to keep their distance.
• Cover up your PIN input with your hand or your purse over the keyboard as protection.
• Do not obey requests for repeated PIN inputs. Criminals will try anything to get hold of your PIN.
• Before you start operations to get money, take a good look at the condition of the automated teller machine. Criminals have been known to install small cameras in ATM's.
• Report any suspicious changes made to the automated teller machine (at the card slot, for example) immediately to the police.

Remember:

If you have lost your debit or credit card, get the police, your bank, credit card company or Central Check Acceptance Service to block your card immediately.

You should also do this if your card is retained by the automated teller machine for no apparent reason.

After it has been reported lost, the bank card (EC card) will be blocked up to its expiry date. In the event of misuse, immediately report the transactions to the card issuer. Immediately report any misuse of your stolen bank or credit card to the police. The rule is: the sooner, the better!

Telephone numbers of the Zentrale Sperrannahmedienste (central blocking services) in Germany:

EC-card: 01805 021021
American Express: 069 979 777 77 oder 069 979 710 00
Eurocard/Mastercard: 0800 819 1040
Diners Club: 01805 911 507
VISA: 0800 8149100
Barclay: 040 890 998 77
Central emergency call numberr: 116 116