This is the time of year for big retail business - both for merchants, and for cybercriminals and fraudsters. As more people pull out their plastic to shop during the next few weeks, studies have shown card fraud spikes by nearly 20 percent.
Thankfully, most consumers are well protected from the out-of-pocket cost of card fraud, and are often fully reimbursed if incidents are reported in accordance with their cardholder agreements. But the ultimate cost of fraud is borne by everyone - banks, merchants, and consumers - in the form of annual fees and charges.
And regardless of the cost, having your card details stolen is a real hassle. Many of us have credit cards linked to bill payment services, automatic recurring debits, or online shopping sites. Changing all those entries can be a pain if you have to cancel your cards.
Mako Networks is committed to helping improve the security of card payments in the retail environment. We've created a short list below of ways to help keep your cards safe during the holiday shopping season.