Here’s why you should NEVER hand over your card when you’re paying on contactless

IT makes buying things quick, easy and stress-free.

But Brits have been warned to keep a very close eye on their bank cards when paying on contactless.

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Customers who physically hand over their plastic to bar, restaurant or shop staff could be put at risk of fraud.

The UK Cards Association's best practice guidelines state the bank card "should always stay in the customer's hand".

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However, this protocol isn't always followed - prompting fraud experts to call on the government to make it a compulsory rule.

Andrew Goodwill of the Goodwill group told : "Customers are being made vulnerable to having their card skimmed (fraudulently copied) if they hand their card over, so they should refuse when asked to do this."

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Many high-street chains, including Marks & Spencer and H&M, have installed card machines that are within easy reach for customers at pay points.

Shoppers who 'tap and go' should also not place their wallets on card readers as there is a risk of ‘card clash’ if they have more than one contactless card.

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Contactless allows customers to make payments up to £30 without tapping in their PIN number.

Last year £7.75 billion was spent on contactless cards, a huge increase from £2.32 billion in 2014.