How to protect your credit and debit cards from hackers

Over the next few days, shoppers will be swiping one credit card after another looking for those big holiday deals.

So when you're out shopping, here are a few things you can do to protect yourself.

Make sure your wallet is securely tucked away during shopping trips.

Beware of leaving credit cards out where others can see them.

Do not carry personal information, such as social security numbers, in the same place as checks or credit cards.

Some experts say to use your credit card instead of your debit card, you have don't to type in a pin number, and it's easier to file a fraud claim.

Now for online shopping, avoid clicking on emailed links for deals that seem too good to be true.

\"If a deal shows up in your email not only could it just be spam it may also be a phishing attempt', said Seth Rosenblatt from CNET.COM. “So if you go to it and enter in your login information, you may be passing that off to an entity that is not who you think it is.\"

Instead type in the URL link of the website you want to visit.

It may also safer to shop using your Smart phone and a store's app; they are less frequently targeted by hackers.