There's a new threat to shoppers this holiday season as hackers are looking to steal your money the second you use your debit or credit card at a store.

The threat is called "Point of Sale malware" where thieves can compromise your credit card and bank accounts the minute you put your card into a retail terminal.

Vulcan based Cyber Security Expert David Swan says it's everywhere, not just big businesses.

"it's very, very common. We hear about the Target's, we hear about the Home Depot's. This year the trend has actually been to go for the smaller retailers because they're not as on top of the trends. The don't have banks that are talking to them every day. And it's easier for the bad guys to hide."

Swan says smaller retailers make inviting targets because they generally use older operating systems with outdated security as a way to save money.

He says when in doubt, use cash.

But if you do use your card, be vigilant about checking your bank accounts every couple of days, because if you notice a problem quickly, your bank will likely come down on your side, but if you're money goes missing and you don't notice for three weeks, you're not going to get a lot of sympathy.

For more information about POS Malware, click "HERE."