With the economy in trouble, all kinds of theft are on the rise, including criminals who are targeting debit cards. They've found a way to steal your PIN code and your money with the help of a device called a skimmer, which they install on ATM machines. Thieves then use the stolen information to create a new card.

Your whole account could be wiped out, including money you had set aside for your mortgage, for your car payment, or for other payments.

Attorney John Campbell, who helps victims of bank-card fraud, says you're most vulnerable at places such as gas stations, convenience stores, and airports, where it's easier to install skimmers. But even at your bank's ATM, check to make sure nothing looks loose or out of place.

Fortunately, Consumer Reports says there is one simple thing you can do to get better protection. When you're making a purchase with your bank card, press "credit" not "debit." The money is still deducted like a debit, but you don't use your PIN code...and so a criminal can't steal it. And by using the "credit" option, in most cases you'll only be responsible for $50 of any loss.

Consumer Reports says another important way to protect against debit-card theft is to check your account frequently online. That way, you can spot any suspicious activity right away.

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