Most shops, hotels and restaurants accept the major credit cards (American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa). Smaller retailers are sometimes less likely to accept credit cards and if they do you may have to pay an extra 5% for processing (and it’s no use telling them that it’s a contravention of the card company rules – you have to take it or leave it). Conversely, if you are paying in cash, you may sometimes be allowed a discount – it’s certainly worth enquiring.

The general rule concerning the loss or theft of credit cards is to contact the bank as soon as possible and report the missing card. Once you have reported the loss it is highly unlikely that you will be held liable for any further transactions made on the card. As a consequence of ATM fraud, banks have now set a limit on the amount of cash you can withdraw per day in order to limit the financial damage of stolen credit cards (the amount varies from card to card). In addition to these measures, banks also advise the public on how to prevent credit card crime. A frequent problem is that people do not change their pin when they get the card. This is vital for secrecy, and banks also suggest you change your pin on a regular basis even after the initial necessary change.