My New Credit Card

Twenty-one per cent admitted that they had given their PIN to a friend and 3pc to a work colleague. Of those in relationships, 64pc admitted that their partner knew their PIN number. Nine per cent of those interviewed had forgotten their PIN in the past when trying to buy something.

Although 11pc of those surveyed had been the victims of identity fraud in the past, the study suggested that poor choice of PINs was indicative of a general lax attitude towards credit card security in general. Just over half of those with multiple credit cards had the same number for every card, despite the obvious security risk.

The study comes at a time when personal information is more freely available than ever. With millions of people in the UK using social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, it is becoming ever more easy to obtain data such as birthday dates.

Farhad Farhadi, personal finance expert at MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “I was surprised to see just how many people have their PIN number as their birthday. I would strongly advise against this. You need to select a number that is memorable to you, but not known by other people, or just learn the PIN that the bank provides you with.

“Consumers who pay for items on a credit or debit card with a PIN are just as vulnerable to identity theft as people who sign for payments.”

He added: “It’s not rocket science; having your PIN written somewhere in your purse or wallet, right next to your credit or debit card, is asking for trouble.”

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