Banking and card security is becoming more and more of an issue as identity thieves and fraudsters find new ways to get hold of our money. If you are concerned about your credit card security, then the best thing you can do is to keep your PIN secure. Keeping your PIN secure will limit the ways in which a thief can use your card. Here are some useful tips on how to keep your PIN secure.

Take care at ATMs

One of the most common ways that people can get hold of your PIN is by seeing you type it in at an ATM. Make sure that you always shield your number whilst you type it in, and that you look behind you to make sure that no one is watching you. Also, look out for anything suspicious at the cash machine such as small cameras or electronic devices.

Never tell

Keeping your PIN secure requires that only you know the number. Although you might give your PIN to friends or family that you trust in order to take money out for you, this is a bad idea. The more people who know your PIN, then the more likely you are to have the PIN discovered. Also, never give your PIN out over any communications such as email, as your bank will never ask you for this. Keep your PIN private and it should stay that way.

Don’t keep records

Although you might have a number of cards and it might be hard to remember the PINs for all of them, make sure that you don’t write down the number anywhere at all, especially on your person. If you have your PIN written down then you are more likely to have the number stolen.

Change it regularly

Although many people keep their PIN the same for years, this can be dangerous. In order to keep your card secure you should regularly change your PIN. This means that even if your PIN is found out, the thief will not be able to use the card for a long time. Changing your number every few months is a sensible idea.

Destroy documents

When you first receive your PIN through the post, you should learn the number quickly and then destroy the document. If the letter looks to have been tampered with then you should immediately request a new number. Once you have the number learnt you should go to a cash machine and change the number to something you can easily remember, although avoid numbers that are obvious like 1234 or 0000.

Report anything suspicious

If you believe your PIN might have been stolen or intercepted, then you should report this immediately. Even if it has not been stolen, it is better to get a new PIN from your bank than run the risk of having your money used illegally. As long as you are sensible with your PIN and take precautions, your card should remain secure and safe.