Any delays could lead to fraudulent use of your card.
Thieves can use credit cards for over the counter and telephone purchases.
Sign your new cards as soon as they arrive and cut up the old ones as soon as they expire. Many operate in crowded areas, town centres, markets, railway and bus stations etc. Carry your wallet in an inside pocket, preferably one which can be fastened, not your back-pocket For practical help, the Association for Payment Clearing Services, through its Card Watch campaign, offers special advice on how to look after your plastic.