Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Just got this trough - sounds like it might be genuine.....

Anyone in the buisness know any more? (ie works of a credit card/ back or is a fraudster? ;) )

> My husband was called on Wednesday by "VISA" and I was called on Thursday
> by "MasterCard". It worked like this:
>
> Person calling says, "This is Carl Patterson (any 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. Did you purchase an
> Anti-Telemarketing Device / any expensive item for £497.99 from a
> marketing company based in Anywhere?"
>
> 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 sent
> to(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 0800 number listed on your
> card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control #". Then
> gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?" Caller
> then says he "needs to verify you are in possession of your card. Turn
> the card over. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are 1234 whatever, the
> next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are in possession of the
> card. These are the numbers you use to make internet purchases, to prove
> you have the card. Read me the 3 numbers." Then he says "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? Don't
> hesitate to call back if you do."
>
> You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the card
> number. But after we were called on Wednesday, 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 put on our card.
>
> Long story made short, we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA
> card and they are issuing a new number. What the scam wants is the 3-digit
> number and once the charge goes through, they keep charging every few
> days. By the time you get your statement, you think the credit is coming,
> and then it's harder to actually file a fraud report.
>
> REMEMBER: THE REAL VISA REINFORCED THAT THEY WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING
> ON THE CARD (THEY ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT US)!!!!
>
> What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from
> "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), and they said they are taking several of
> these reports daily and to tell friends, relatives and co-workers. PASS IT
> ON!

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Thanks for the 'heads up' !

Take care and do not give any information over the phone or on email, like chambece points out, the genuine organisations do not require you to give any info, just confirm what they know. If in any doubt ask for a name and tel no and say you will ring back. If the phone no don't tally phone the police !

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Remember VISA (and electron) and Mastercard (and Switch / Maestro / Cirrus) are clearing / network organisations.

The only people that will call about your card are the issuer, eg Capital1, Nat West etc, who will be responsible for following up on frauds, issuing chargebacks and clearing the mess up or taking the hit.

Whats interesting is that they have obviously got a lot of your information just from the credit card number from somewhere? The Address Verification Service (AVS) functionality?

Any spending pattern monitoring should come back as a manual authorisation in a store when you have triggered the system.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Some receipts, along with your credit card number also your card name printed on it e.g. "Thank you Mr.xxxxxxxx" for shopping at...."
In any case, if you look through someones rubbish bag you'll have loads of information (name, address, phone number, card numbers, account numbers etc etc). All the scammer need do then is ring you up and scam for your remaining details. They can probably sound very convincing because they already have so much info already.
My advice is to never leave anything relating to credit cards/finance etc in the trash outside.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Very very good advice.

Get a decent paper shreder - They are not expensive and can save you loads of money if your details are comprimised. I use the shreded paper for hamster bedding !!!

(another money saving tip by stuartbe :D )

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

I wasn't sure if this was 'genuine' but it certainly sounded plausable so I thought I'd post it anyways.....

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Snopes seemed unsure as to how "genuine" it was but agreed it sounded plausable. The fact that it seemed to conform to the usual hoax "scam warning, pass it on" worried me, however.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Year, that's what I thought too - but it certainly seemed to make sense!

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

We had this sent to us on our company notice board the other day so, if it isn't genuine, people are still taking enough notice of it.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Well I actually mentioned this one a couple of days ago, but be assured IT IS MOST DEFINTELY A SCAM!!

Yes, it does happen, but no credit card company will *ever* phone you up and ask for information like this.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Couple of points.

From the email, the wife would have had to have been listening in on the phone call that her husband took if you read the last paragraph.

It has "PASS IT ON" at the end of the email.

Most credit card thieves who go through your rubbish use the information to imprint fake cards, or just to get credit in your name by putting your card details down when filling out a form.
They use those cards in person, normlly by giving them to a lacky who they won't miss if they get caught using them, or by sending them to partners abroad where it will be harder to track.
You don't need the CV2 for these transactions.
Demagnatise one of your cards just before it runs out, and take it to BHS or some other store, and when it fails to swipe, the person will put in the number manually.

What important bit of information must you always give an internet supplier when placing an order?
Delivery address of course!
Which is quite handy should anyone try and order anything using your card. The delivery address would be on record making it rather easy for the criminals to be tracked down.

Even if the caller witheld their number, it can be tracked.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Sorry, but if they have the card address and, more importantly, the security numbers, many suppliers will be willing to deliver to an alternative address.

It's then very easy for the scammer to set up an accommodation address or rent a flat for a few weeks and then disappear again.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

Yes there is that, I just thought I'd let you do all the hard work of typing it out :)

My point was that most credit card fraud takes place through transactions that don't require the CV2.

The email is one of those haox type chainmail letters that you *must* forward on (hmm reminds me of the Irish virus asking you to manually forward it on to everyone in your contacts and then delete all your own files). Remember the one where someone would phone you and tell you to type *#98# or whatever into your mobile which would *somehow* give that person the ability to call out on your bill, so you *must* forward the email to everyone you know incase they get called and fall for it?

Another point about the mail, the price that the caller says has been deducted in the transaction is the exact amount allegedly taken once the CV2 has been given.

Re: Possible Credit Card Scam?
 

And if they retailer then gets stung for a chargeback in this instance it is usually the retailer that takes the hit not the credit card company. This is the point of the address verification service.

This is also why a mail order co's don't like delivering to an alternate address and will normally make sure the delivery is signed for as they have more evidence to track back the perps.

Most mail order and internet should require CV2 by the end of the year. Chip and pin being rolled out this year should also seriously reduce fraud in stores. It's all costing the banks too much (though you wouldn't know from their profits, perhaps we should all make less use of balance transfers and forget to move it after 6 months).