As the holidays approach, many members will soon be using their Member Cards to make purchases at a wide variety of places. The convenience and ease of use of debit cards is one of the reasons they’re so popular. In fact, the Interac Association reports that during the busiest shopping days of the year, it’s not unheard of for Manitobans to make well over half a million debit transactions in a single day.

But with all those transactions taking place, the association encourages members to keep debit card safety in mind when using your Member Card.

While the Interac network is among the safest networks in the world, debit card fraud can occur if proper precautions aren’t taken. The credit union would like to suggest the following tips to keep your Member Card safe when shopping:

1) Use your hand or body to shield your PIN during every transaction;

2) Keep your debit card in sight when conducting transactions at the checkout;

3) Check you banking statements regularly and contact the credit union immediately if you detect any unusual activity;

4) Notify the credit union immediately if your Member Card is lost, stolen or retained by an ATM;

5) Avoid telling anyone else your PIN, including friends and family. Only you should know it; and

6) Use a unique PIN that can’t be easily guessed. Avoid numbers like your date of birth, telephone number or social insurance number.