Turkey becomes Europe's largest card payment market

Turkey has become Europe’s largest card payment market, surpassing Spain with over 151 million credit cards and a total of 476 million payment cards in circulation. This rapid digitalization has increased the target profile for cybercriminals.

Experts have issued critical warnings regarding common security vulnerabilities. High-risk password habits include using easily guessable combinations such as birth dates or repetitive sequences like ‘0000’. To mitigate risks, users are advised to select complex combinations that do not match personal information.

Physical security measures are also emphasized. Consumers are urged not to hand over cards to staff during transactions to prevent information skimming. Instead, they should perform contactless payments personally and verify the amount on the POS terminal against the receipt. In the event of an ATM swallowing a card, users should remain at the machine and contact their bank immediately. For online shopping, the use of virtual cards with set limits is recommended to protect primary account details.