A $297 charge for OnlyFans? My card details were stolen on holiday

Travelling in Europe is pricier than ever, and that’s before you budget for scams. Gallivanting in Italy, Greece, Spain and France, I log in to check the damage on my Visa card.

Amid the dresses in Spain, gelato in Rome and cosmetics in Cannes is a charge I don’t recognise: $US200 ($297) to OnlyFans, the online content-sharing platform known for X-rated content.

Don’t get trapped by the scammers.Credit: Greg Straight

Oh, no. My card has been compromised, but how? The first thing I do is call my bank.

“Someone definitely has your card details, so we’re going to immediately cancel that card and get you a new one,” says the customer service agent. “We are seeing this more and more.”

Globally, credit card scams are on the rise. In the US alone, the US Federal Trade Commission reported losses of more than $US10 billion due to fraud in 2023.

There are myriad ways scammers are accessing card details, many of them targeting locations frequented by international travellers. Card-skimming at point-of-sale devices and cash machines, juice jacking (where malware is affixed to charging ports) and “malicious” public Wi-Fi hotspots are dangers for unsuspecting travellers. On cruise ships and planes, in airports and at overseas ATMs, experts advise extra care must be taken.

“People face a lot more risk when travelling than at home, in their known environment,” says Professor Dali Kafaar, of the Cyber Security Hub in the Department of Computing at Macquarie University.

“You are certainly more at risk when travelling, unless you never connect to any public Wi-Fi, you don’t use USB charging ports and you stay away from ATMs.”

Follow these tips to keep your money safe while travelling.

Handle ATMs with care
Don’t use the machine if any part of it is loose or looks like it’s been altered. Credit card skimmers are designed to look like part of the terminal. The safest ATMs to use are inside banks or other secure locations.

Keep your card in sight
Don’t let your credit card out of your sight when making a payment. Credit card cloning devices, fitted to point-of-sale terminals, can easily replicate card details.

Cool it on the hotspots
If possible, avoid using public Wi-Fi, including on cruise ships and in airports. Roaming phone data or eSIMs are safer. If you must use a public network, don’t check bank accounts or make credit card payments.

Be USB aware
If your phone battery is running low, think twice before charging up at a USB port charging station in an airport, aircraft or hotel lobby. Malware can extract personal data and passwords.

Limit your exposure
After my Visa debit card was compromised, the bank representative recommended “locking″⁣ the card when not in use (easily done via the bank’s app) and keeping only limited funds in that account.