Credit Card Scam - beware!

[J9withdogs]

(I don't care if this is an urban myth, it makes sense to be aware of what MIGHT happen)

 

Cpioed from another forum:

 

Be alert

 

latest credit card scam.

Please pass this on to everyone you know...

 

This one is pretty slick since they provide Y O U with all the information,

except the one piece they want.

 

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it.

This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA &

MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.

 

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was

called on Friday from "MasterCard".

 

The scam works like this: Person calling says, "This is (name), and

I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank) did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for £497.99 from a Marketing company based in London ?"

 

When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from £297 to £497, just under the £500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be applied to your account. I just need to confirm your address (gives you your address), is that correct?"

 

You say "yes". The caller continues - "I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the number listed on the back of your card and ask for the Security & Fraud Department.

 

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"

 

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works the caller then says,

"I need to verify you are in possession of your card." He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers." There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?" After you say, "No," the caller then thanks you and states, "Don't hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.

 

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card

number. But after we were called, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of £497.99 was charged to our card.

 

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account.

 

VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them.

 

Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master Card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by

then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud

report.

 

What makes this more remarkable is that on Friday, I got a call from a

"Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word-for-word repeat of the

VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening .

 

If you do get one of these calls, use 1571.

[Hymer C 9.]

Janine, I see no reason why you should apologise for this, yes these things are circulating all the time, but it only takes a minute to read through and if if just rings a bell of caution when you get these strange phone calls they are worth posting. Carol.

[Usinmyknaus]

Janine,

 

The BBC put out a warning earlier this week regarding a similar scam where it was fraudsters pretending to be retail banks. The fraudster calls claiming to be a bank official dealing with a fraudulent transaction and needs the account holder to help with urgent action but says it has to verify that the person who answered the call is the account holder, to do this they require answers to security questions. The fraudster then uses the information to raid the customer's account. The scam relies on people being too trusting or being flustered by the claimed imminent threat to their account and the need to respond immediately.

 

The solution advocated by the BBC was very simple. If called by a bank or credit card company regarding an account, people just have to take the caller's name and number but tell them they will call the bank direct using the customer service number on documents already in the customer's possession. That call will determine whether the incoming call was genuine or not and if genuine, the problem can be dealt with, if not genuine the bank will take details of the incident for its security department.

 

Bob

 

 

 

[colin]

J9withdogs - 2009-01-14 2:27 PM

 

(I don't care if this is an urban myth, it makes sense to be aware of what MIGHT happen)

 

 

Don't worry I won't have a go as I believe it is a real scam ;-)

[J9withdogs]

colin - 2009-01-14 7:25 PM

 

J9withdogs - 2009-01-14 2:27 PM

 

(I don't care if this is an urban myth, it makes sense to be aware of what MIGHT happen)

 

 

Don't worry I won't have a go as I believe it is a real scam ;-)

 

Phew! I'm getting quite paranoid about posting these after the last debacle *-)

[colin]

I notice you've now got a map of 'black country', maybe this explains you fancying members of black sabbeth?

[J9withdogs]

colin - 2009-01-14 7:39 PM

 

I notice you've now got a map of 'black country', maybe this explains you fancying members of black sabbeth?

 

Que? (Ozzy Osborne's a brummie, is that what you mean??)

[colin]

I thought it was 'geezer' butler, isn't he from black country

[J9withdogs]

colin - 2009-01-14 8:25 PM

 

I thought it was 'geezer' butler, isn't he from black country

 

Nah, he's a Brummie too.

[Patricia]

Thanks for that warning Janine. I am far too trusting I'm afraid and might very well have fallen for this scam. I certainly gets loads in my email folder although so far I haven't fallen for them. Thanks again.

Patricia

[nightrider]

I have only bought the odd thing over the phone using my debit card with a genuine company, when they ask for the details of your card they ask for the start and expiry date of the card, the long number on the front and the three numbers on the back.

The person you have given the details to obviously has your details, so could that person then use those details to buy something fraudulantly?

Referred to as card not present sale.

This last week my wife has been alerted by the bank that a purchase was made on her account by fraud and that they are looking into it, this evening the phone rang and the caller asked for my wife who wasn't in, the caller said she was from my wifes bank and I said how come a bank is ringing at that time of night, the caller then said she would ring during banking hours, will check that out in the morning.

[Rapido-lass]

Thanks for warning, most people if caught off guard may not think it all logically through until too late, but this will act as a warning light giving you those extra few moments to react to the scam.

 

In case anyone is interested, if you are at a hole in the wall and are approached and the person tries to rob you by making you put your card in etc etc. If you type in your pin number backwards, it notifies the police that you are being robbed and where you are and they send out a response unit. Hopefully I'll never be in that situation but worth knowing.

[Rapido-lass]

Thanks for warning, most people if caught off guard may not think it all logically through until too late, but this will act as a warning light giving you those extra few moments to react to the scam.

 

In case anyone is interested, if you are at a hole in the wall and are approached and the person tries to rob you by making you put your card in etc etc. If you type in your pin number backwards, it notifies the police that you are being robbed and where you are and they send out a response unit. Hopefully I'll never be in that situation but worth knowing.

[Patricia]

Rapido-lass - 2009-01-15 4:11 PM

In case anyone is interested, if you are at a hole in the wall and are approached and the person tries to rob you by making you put your card in etc etc. If you type in your pin number backwards, it notifies the police that you are being robbed and where you are and they send out a response unit. Hopefully I'll never be in that situation but worth knowing.

 

Thanks for that info too - I never cease to learn things on this forum.

[J9withdogs]

I think that one really is an urban myth, unfortunately.

 

LINK

 

In an ideal world, there should be something like this available though.

[nightrider]

Rapido-lass - 2009-01-15 4:11 PM

 

Thanks for warning, most people if caught off guard may not think it all logically through until too late, but this will act as a warning light giving you those extra few moments to react to the scam.

 

In case anyone is interested, if you are at a hole in the wall and are approached and the person tries to rob you by making you put your card in etc etc. If you type in your pin number backwards, it notifies the police that you are being robbed and where you are and they send out a response unit. Hopefully I'll never be in that situation but worth knowing.

 

Rapido-lass,

That is an urban myth that has been doing the rounds for a long time, it doesn't work. I have tried it.

[nightrider]

knight of the road - 2009-01-15 1:07 AM

 

I have only bought the odd thing over the phone using my debit card with a genuine company, when they ask for the details of your card they ask for the start and expiry date of the card, the long number on the front and the three numbers on the back.

The person you have given the details to obviously has your details, so could that person then use those details to buy something fraudulantly?

Referred to as card not present sale.

This last week my wife has been alerted by the bank that a purchase was made on her account by fraud and that they are looking into it, this evening the phone rang and the caller asked for my wife who wasn't in, the caller said she was from my wifes bank and I said how come a bank is ringing at that time of night, the caller then said she would ring during banking hours, will check that out in the morning.

 

I went to my bank this morning to clarify one or two points regarding making a debit card purchase over the phone, banks are always telling you never to disclose your debit card details, but that is exactly what you are doing on a debit card phone purchase.

And here is what they said, if the person on the phone taking your card details is less than honest they could either use those details to make a fraudulent purchase or pass those details on to someone else to be used fraudulently, she went onto say that it is at the sole discretion of the card holder to disclose card details on a phone purchase, known as "card not present at point of sale" so, phone purchases are fraught with danger, whether you would get your money reimbursed is a different matter, the blunt advice of the bank person I spoke to was do not make phone purchases.

[Rainbow-Chasers]

This scam was doing the rounds a year or so ago, and is a genuine scam! It usually means that you already have been skimmed, and that they are trying to get the extra details. Inform your bank etc of the call, along with the police who can trace it through BT.

 

If you get these calls, just thank them, and ask to come in for a meeting at your bank to discuss the matter. They will say they are from the fraud dept, and that they are based at the head office call centre or whatever. Just say ' well last time, i went to the bank and they had all the details on record and sorted it out from there' Just stick to that story and insist on a meeting - the calls will stop.

 

Version two is say 'yes i will just go and get them, they are in the garden, put the phone on the side and carry on doing what you are doing - may as well cost the robbing gits some money!

 

What i do highly recommend for all online pruchases etc, is the prepay cashplus card. I have one of these i use for all online purchasing as swear by it! You just top up for free at the post office (the amount you plan to spend) and go shopping! If someone does get your number, they cannot takle what isn't on there - and it is not attched to any bank account, so they cant get those details either!