Following yesterday's chip and pin deadline, British debit and credit card holders must now know their pin code in order to use their plastic to pay for purchases.
But forgetful debit and credit card holders who write down their numbers are posing a security threat to their savings, online bank Egg has warned.
Research by the bank revealed that more than half of debit and credit card holders in the UK have their pins written down somewhere, with one in eight carrying it with their debit and credit cards.
"With all the things we have to remember today there is a great temptation to jot down passwords," says Emma Byrne, corporate communications director at Egg.
However, she says that a pin "should never be written on anything kept with the card".
She advises debit and credit card holders who need to store their pin somewhere to keep it in a "secure environment" or to disguise it heavily.
To help Egg banking customers, an online pin viewing facility has been launched on the bank's website.
The bank claims this will avoid the need for debit and credit card holders to write their pin down and expose themselves to fraud.
Ms Byrne adds: "Egg's pin viewing facility offers customers a secure speedy method of recalling their pin at very little inconvenience."
Shane Brennan, a spokesperson of the Association of Convenience Stores, says chip and pin has had "massive success" on reducing debit and credit card fraud.









