Payment card theft putting millions of users at risk, cybersecurity company finds

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Here's a Quick Payment Card Fraud Tip.

A recent investigation by the cybersecurity company NordVPN found that more than half a million payment and bank card details from customers around the world have been leaked on the dark web.

Americans were the most targeted.

Experts say to watch out for phishing emails and texts pretending to be from government agencies and banks.

Many are designed to get your card numbers and more.

Ask your bank if you can add two-factor authentication for certain online purchases.

Check your payment history regularly. If you notice any suspicious transactions, contact your bank immediately.

Also when shopping online avoid using debit cards which are linked to your checking accounts and stick with a credit card.

Extra tip from NordVPN:
Use a data breach checker to find out what website log-in details have been compromised. Some services give you real-time updates about when your credit card details appear in a data breach.

This gives you the opportunity to reset your passwords on the websites that have been hacked and remove payment details which you may have saved there for ease of use.