Is your credit card secure?

A credit card is an easy and convenient way to buy now and pay later. But it's always good to be aware of credit card security to protect yourself from fraud.

• Card Verification Value (CVV). This is a 3-digit number found on the back of your credit card. Merchants require this for online transactions to make sure you're the one using your credit card.
• Multi-factor authentication. Using 2 or more ways to confirm your identity (such as a One-Time-Password) makes it harder for hackers and fraudsters to steal and misuse your personal information.
• Fraud protection. Our fraud monitoring system and analytics help you detect suspected fraudulent activities. This keeps you protected from any unauthorised transactions made on your credit card.
• Purchase protection. This offers reimbursement, repair, or replacement for any loss, damage or theft of an eligible item. If you're a Premier Mastercard, Premier Debit or Live+ Credit Card Cardholder, your purchases are covered with Purchase Protect insurance¹.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of ways that fraudsters can steal your identity and use your credit card. Here are some of them:

• Losing your credit card. Whether it was misplaced or never delivered to you.
• Application fraud. When someone else uses your information to apply for a credit card.
• Skimming. When your card information is stolen from a terminal or a device, such as an ATM or Point-of-Sale terminal (POS).
• Account Takeover. Someone pretends to be you and takes over your account, then makes a fraudulent transaction.
• Phishing (email), smishing (SMS), and vishing (call). Communication channels disguised as credible sources are used to get your personal and account information.

Here are some ways to keep your credit card and personal information safe and secure:

• Don't share your personal information. Keep your CVV, One-Time-Password, and other information to yourself whenever you're using your credit card. 
• Always be vigilant. Before you open any link online, make sure that the sender is legitimate. For instance: 

- Email domain names should be spelled correctly and shouldn't come from a personal email address.

- An SMS should come from an official sender (i.e. HSBC or HSBC PH) and not personal mobile numbers.

• Check your environment. Whenever you do transactions via ATM, always check your surroundings for suspicious people and inspect the machine.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi. To prevent others from hacking or seeing your information, it's safer to do your credit card transactions at home, or where there's a safe and secure online connection.
• Document disposal. Don't just throw away your statements and personal documents. Dispose them properly by shredding them first.
• Report a loss immediately. Contact us as soon as you can if you lose your card or there's any suspicious activity. We can then block any future transactions and avoid misuse.
• Dispose your card properly. If you're replacing an expired or tampered card or cancelling your card, make sure to cut across the EMV chip and the magnetic stripe. Then throw away the pieces separately. Also, check your latest or final statement to make sure that your card hasn't been misused.

If you've lost your card or suspect a fraudulent activity, report it immediately by calling (02) 8858-0000 or (02) 7976-8000. For unauthorised transactions posted on your account, fill out an Online Dispute Form.

To report phishing websites, smishing texts or suspicious emails that requested your personal banking information, send an email to phishing@hsbc.com. You'll receive an automatic response to acknowledge receipt of your email.

To report vishing cases, call our Contact Centre and provide the details of the call. 

Read more about credit card security and other security reminders. And see some tips on using your credit card.

¹ Purchase Protect insurance includes coverage for accidental damage and/or theft for eligible items (up to PHP5,000 per event and a maximum of PHP15,000 per year, with 10% deductible) and accidental death benefit (up to PHP10,000). Eligible items are items that are brand new, purchased solely for personal use, bought from a retailer or seller, and charged to the qualified HSBC Credit Card. Terms and conditions apply.