# WATCH OUT - NEW Visa / MasterCard FRAUD



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

This happened to some friends of ours so I thought I would pass this along to the BCA membership so they can be aware of the latest scam.


"Just a heads up for everyone regarding the latest in Visa fraud.
Royal Bank received this communication about the newest scam. This is
happening in the Midwest right now and moving this way.

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU 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 Thursday 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 Arizona ?' 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 1- 800 number listed on the back
of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security. 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 last 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 last 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
on Wednesday, we called back. Within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we
were 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. 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 Thursday, 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. I dealt with a similar situation this morning,
with the caller telling me that $3,097 had been charged to my account for
plane tickets to Spain , and so on through the above routine...

It appears that this Is a very active scam, and evidently quite
successful.

Pass this on to all your family and friends"

If you get a call like this, remember NOT to ever give out the 3 number security code on the back of your card.

Anthony


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## pieces71 (Apr 21, 2010)

thanks for the heads up


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Thanks a lot for the information. Something like that happened to me a few months ago. They said I won a trip to.. don't remember, Disney for example and just wanted to verify it was me indeed. What shocked and scared me was they knew my name, address, credit card number. How is that possible? Where they get this information from?
Thanks again!


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

That's the scary thing about these new credit card scams. They know enough info to make the average person believe it is from the cc company, but they're really fishing for your 3 digit security code. NEVER, EVER give that out to someone who calls you or emails you. NO credit card company ever asks for that because they know it already.


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks Anthony. I hope you don't mind, but I would like to copy and paste this and put it up on some other forums and facebook.


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## davefrombc (Apr 21, 2010)

The scammers can easily get your credit card information simply by looking in the garbage for discarded credit card slips. There also have been breaches of security in credit clearing houses where thousands of card users information has been stolen .. There are underground organizations that sell credit card numbers and information to scammers. It is relatively easy to get CC information, but that 3 number confirmation on the back of the card is not held in any of the data bases, or noted on receipts. It is only used for phoned in or online transactions to verify the card holder. That is why the scammer asks you for the number . They need it to make a large purchase with your card number. 
As Anthony said , never give that number, or any other credit information, including verifying your number to anyone that phones or e-mails you about your banking or credit cards . Always refuse , either politely or otherwise, and then contact your bank or credit card company directly by a phone number or URL you know is your legitimate contact with them . Do NOT click on anything in the e-mail claiming to be from the institution, or go to any URL or phone number they give , no matter how legitimate it looks . Always close the e-mail, and call your bank or CC issuer by the number they give you for their customer service. It is on your credit card, on your bank statements, or in the phone book.


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

A while back I got a call on my cellphone claiming that I had won a trip for two on a cruise all inclusive. Being suspicious in nature to everything in general that sounds too good, I started asking too many questions and they hung up...I am sure they would have asked me for credit card pin, personal info.. etc..


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## chiefwonton (Sep 19, 2010)

Captured Moments said:


> A while back I got a call on my cellphone claiming that I had won a trip for two on a cruise all inclusive. Being suspicious in nature to everything in general that sounds too good, I started asking too many questions and they hung up...I am sure they would have asked me for credit card pin, personal info.. etc..


I get that call once a month, i dont know how they got my number.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

chiefwonton said:


> I get that call once a month, i dont know how they got my number.


Usually hackers breaching databases, it's got all your information on there as a customer. They then sell it off for profit and less risk to other shady people, then the scammers use that information to illicit the missing info from unsuspecting victims for credit fraud.

Cheers,
Chris


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## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

It is getting pretty scary with how easy it is for people to scam. I had a credit card cancelled last year by the card issuer, and they sent me a new one. Sounds like there was a "strange charge" on it (which I never saw as they promptly removed it)... And yet we keep using credit cards more and more in our daily lives...


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

thefishwife said:


> Thanks Anthony. I hope you don't mind, but I would like to copy and paste this and put it up on some other forums and facebook.


Please do. The faster people learn about this new fraud method, the fewer will get sucked in by the con-artists, thieves, and ID thieves.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

In USA you need that number to put through a transaction.
When I take phone orders for fish all I need is the number and expiry date to process.
Good info ...most people are so used to giving it for transactions they don't figure anything wrong with it.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.235755,-123.185078


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## rescuepenguin (Apr 21, 2010)

They can buy the "do not call" list, and call those people. I get regular calls like that on every number I put on the do not call list, but none on the numbers I didn't register.

Steve



chiefwonton said:


> I get that call once a month, i dont know how they got my number.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Credit card fraud on a retail level is way down due to the new chip cards which IMO everyone should have. This example of fraud is clever, hopefully it won't last long. I have had an increase in attempts by email for card information as well. The scum of the earth will do whatever they can to take what is not theirs.


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## pinhead (Apr 22, 2010)

Might be possible but more likely an Internet Urban Legend. These things happen to "FOFs" - friends of friends. Tracking down the actual person it happened to is impossible. The person you think was scammed actually had a friend who this happened to. You keep on going further and further back and never find the original person - it is always a friend of a friend.

This actual email started in the States in November of 2003. Note the reference to the "Midwest"

2003 Original
"We all receive emails all the time regarding one scam or another; but last week I REALLY DID get scammed! Both VISA and MasterCard told me that this scam is currently being worked throughout the Midwest, with some variance as to the product or amount, and if you are called, just hang up."

Whole Link here


Chain letter sent to Anthony with a more Canadian reference to the Royal Bank
"Just a heads up for everyone regarding the latest in Visa fraud.
Royal Bank received this communication about the newest scam. This is
happening in the Midwest right now and moving this way.
"
Version from England 2006
"What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, 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 t o tell everybody we know that this scam is happening."

Whole link here

And another Canadian Version for earlier in the year
"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 charged to our card. 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."

Whole link here

As each version is passed along from person to person, small things are changed to make it more local.

If you do a little checking into this, a lot of these rumours are passed on by newspapers who obviously do not do checking themselves.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.



thefishwife said:


> Thanks Anthony. I hope you don't mind, but I would like to copy and paste this and put it up on some other forums and facebook.


*Don't perpetuate this rumour*


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## davefrombc (Apr 21, 2010)

That scam has been active since at least November 2003.. It goes active for a bit , and then drops off again for a while .. Likely to let things cool off and warnings get forgotten. The newest one I know of is the phone calls claiming to be from Microsoft or some security company claiming they have detected your computer sending out spam e-mails and being infected with a virus or trojan.. They get their victims to go on their computers and go to a website to run a phony scan or go into the "event viewer" in their computer and see all the legitimate error messages( which are really harmless). They then use the scare to get victims to give them access to their computer to "fix" the problems . Do that and you will have real problems.. Microsoft will not call you to tell you you have a problem , and neither will legitimate security companies. If you get such a call . hang up on the SOB's


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

davefrombc said:


> That scam has been active since at least November 2003.. It goes active for a bit , and then drops off again for a while .. Likely to let things cool off and warnings get forgotten. The newest one I know of is the phone calls claiming to be from Microsoft or some security company claiming they have detected your computer sending out spam e-mails and being infected with a virus or trojan.. They get their victims to go on their computers and go to a website to run a phony scan or go into the "event viewer" in their computer and see all the legitimate error messages( which are really harmless). They then use the scare to get victims to give them access to their computer to "fix" the problems . Do that and you will have real problems.. Microsoft will not call you to tell you you have a problem , and neither will legitimate security companies. If you get such a call . hang up on the SOB's


Yep. My wife did get a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft 2 weeks ago but she didn't buy into it and her friend who is a computer IT person also got a call and she played along and turned it around on them.


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

My sister-in-law fell for the MS fraud as well.

I've had the "won a trip" fraud and other credit card scams tried on me several times, so I think its prudent to let people know what is going on out there. Better safe than sorry.


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## davefrombc (Apr 21, 2010)

Gates and Buffett would be coming to me for loans if all the lotteries I'd won and commissions I would have gotten from helping getting money out of various countries, plus all the inheritances I could have claimed were legit .. Then there's the trips I could have had . .would add up to a couple of world tours .. 
I've not been called on the computer infected scam, but I know a couple of people who were, and thankfully I was able to make them suspicious enough they didn't fall for them when they did get the call. 
I did get the call on the compromised credit card scam a few years ago .. Can't remember the line , and amount , but it was a variation of the one Anthony posted the warning about; and no .. I did not fall for it . .. Yes , that warning has been out long enough to have entered the urban legends , but the scam is legitimate and still shows up time to time .


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## gmachine19 (Apr 21, 2010)

Yup. I'm still waiting for the Nigerian banker to wire me my millions then I will build my dream tank!


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## veng68 (Apr 30, 2010)

just got a call from "Computer security" I told him to take a hike.

just be aware the "Computer" scam is still around.

Cheers,
Vic


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Thanks for the update and the heads up!


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## waynet (Apr 22, 2010)

The credit card company needs to make purchasing more secure. That is crazy. If they know the 3 digits in the back of your card they can make purchases?

It is so easily to get. Image this, they just have someone work at big shopping stores. When you pay with your credit card, the cashier always turn your card over to look at your signature. What if her/she just look at your 3 security number and she already knows your credit card because you just bought something.

Are you saying they they can buy stuff with your card now since they have those two pieces of information?

Sorry if I use cashier as an example. I meant the people behind the scam get one of their person to work as a cashier or some other positions to steal your 3 digit security number.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

waynet said:


> The credit card company needs to make purchasing more secure. That is crazy. If they know the 3 digits in the back of your card they can make purchases?
> 
> It is so easily to get. Image this, they just have someone work at big shopping stores. When you pay with your credit card, the cashier always turn your card over to look at your signature. What if her/she just look at your 3 security number and she already knows your credit card because you just bought something.
> 
> ...


In simple terms, the "government" would have been more responsible if they wanted this information less "available" they would have prepped and intervened more prior to the Clinton\bush administration as far as internet scams go, which is relevant to this topic.


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

wow guy i worked with was scamned for 10k i know the food courts in alot of the malls specialy i heard cross iron mills here in alberta there is alot of interact scams going on


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

also i thought if the address doesent match the one on the card you have to contact who you are buying from directly


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