How often do you change your PIN number?

August 20, 2007

When it comes to our pin codes, often we choose the easiest numbers to remember and we stick with them. Now whilst this is obviously the best way to remember our pin numbers, sometimes sticking with the same code can cause you to become a victim of fraud.

It is thought that our pin codes for our credit and debit cards should be changed at least every six months. However, some people may argue that if they did that, they would keep forgetting their code. Really, if you use a number which nobody else knows then no other person should guess your pin code. This means that you should avoid using your date of birth or the date of birth of anybody close to you such as family or friends.

There are advantages and disadvantages to changing your pin and keeping it the same. From the information above, you already know that by keeping the same pin number, you risk being a victim of fraud. However, by changing your pin number frequently you could also become a victim of fraud. This is because when you change your pin number, you could forget what the number is and therefore you may write it down. By writing it down, there is a strong chance that somebody will find it and therefore you would be a victim of fraud.

So you cannot really win, but generally it is likely to be safer to keep the same pin number and change it occasionally, rather than changing it every other month. If you find the pin number that you are given by your bank hard to remember, then change it to something that you will remember. That way you will not have to write it down and it will therefore be harder for any fraudster to steal your details.