Did you know?
Canadians use their debit cards millions of times each day for purchases and cash withdrawals from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). In fact, Canadians are one of the biggest users of debit and ATMs in the world. With the Interac shared services, cardholders have convenient access to their cash 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Cardholders can help keep their money safe by protecting their debit cards and Personal Identification Number (PIN) and by following these important steps:

1. Use your hand or body to shield your PIN when you are conducting transactions at an ATM or at the point-of-sale.
2. Never let your banking card out of your sight when conducting a transaction at the point-of-sale. Always remember to take your banking card and transaction record with you once your transaction is completed.
3. Regularly check your statements and balances to verify all transactions have been properly documented. If entries do not accurately reflect transaction activities, for example, if there are missing or additional transactions, you should contact your financial institution immediately.
4. If your banking card is lost, stolen or retained by an ATM, notify your financial institution immediately upon becoming aware of the problem.
5. Your banking card and PIN are the keys to your account(s). Never disclose your PIN to anyone or you could be liable for losses. You are the only person who should know it.
6. Memorize your PIN - it's your electronic signature. If you suspect that someone knows your PIN, change it immediately or contact your financial institution to cancel the card.
7. When selecting your PIN, never use obvious information. You could be liable for losses if you create your PIN by using your telephone number, date of birth, address or social insurance number.
8. Only conduct transactions when and where you feel secure. If anyone tries to distract you, complete what you are doing and retrieve your card before doing anything else. If you cannot retrieve you card, call your credit union immediately.

Remember, safety comes first. Cardholders should not take unnecessary risks.
The Canadian debit card system is the most secure in the world. Canadians can feel confident using their debit cards. However, fraud can happen. Card fraud is a crime and anyone engaged in this criminal activity will be subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.