Minimising the risk of having your card cloned

chattychappy

grumbler wrote: »

Do we start using our credit cards in ATMs then - instead of debit cards?
I know only two ATM-friendly CCs, and even they charge interest on cash.

Actually, I do that.

Most of my ATM withdrawals are foreign, so I do indeed use Clarity/Santander Zero and sometimes Barclaycard.

My (Nationwide) debit card is what gives me (and potentially others) access to MY money in MY current account via the card reader or ATMs. I would be stuffed if I lost it, it got swallowed by an ATM or my current account was compromised through cloning etc. So I never normally take it out with me, whether home or abroad. Even in the UK, I tend to use Clarity to take out cash - it is worry free for the sake of a few pence. When I do take my debit card out, I do worry a little.

I did ask Nationwide if they could separate the "debit" card function, from the "card reader" function, ie have a separate card just for the card reader. My Lloyds business account works like that. They said no. If they could, then I would not have a debit card at all.