There were 7,000 instances of lost and stolen credit and debit cards for British holidaymakers last year as the threat of card fraud abroad continues to grow.
New research released by CPP Card Protection has revealed that such crimes increased by a whopping 77 per cent between 2006 and 2007, costing Britons a total of £207.6 million.
The study also showed that France, Spain and Italy are the three destinations where visitors are most likely to be targeted, with half of all offences taking place in these countries.
Kerry D'Souza, card fraud expert at CPP, said: "We are urging Brits to be particularly vigilant when they travel abroad this summer.
"When relaxing on holiday, people can be less aware of their belongings and more prone to card fraud and mugging scams."
The research undoubtedly serves as a timely reminder to holidaymakers of the importance of securing an
online travel insurance policy to protect possessions.
The top three pieces of advice CPP has for travellers are not to carry multiple cards in a wallet, not to leave belongings unattended while swimming or sunbathing and not to hang bags on the back of a chair.
