Growing fear of card fraud happening abroad

Around 37 per cent said they worried more about financial crime when they were overseas, with 69 per cent taking steps to reduce the risk, such as using cash more often to pay for things.

Falling victim to card fraud was the second most common holiday mishap people feared, after flight delays, according to electronic payments firm AIC Worldwide.

Despite their concerns, 43 per cent of people said they had let their card be taken out of sight during a transaction, such as paying for a meal, giving potential fraudsters an opportunity to copy their details.

Half of people also said they rarely or never told their bank when they were travelling abroad, while 41 per cent said they did not routinely bother to take an additional bank card as back-up.

Jim Oakes, managing director at Financial Crime Risk, said: "There are still a worrying number of people who are failing to do enough to protect themselves. The survey results demonstrate that the individual still has a role to play in keeping their bank card safe."