The Consumer Director at the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, Ms Mary O'Dea, has warned consumers to keep a record of credit cards and contact numbers.

She warned that credit card skimming - where card details are fraudulently taken and then used to make purchases - is increasing internationally.

"The problem often arises where a customer hands over their card to make a legitimate payment but it is taken out of the customer's sight and copied," she said. Ms O'Dea advised that holiday-makers should consider putting the 24-hour contact number of their credit card issuer into their mobile phone memory so that they can make contact immediately if the card is lost or stolen.