ladymelissa
08-25-2006, 11:26 AM
I just got this in an email today:
I checked this out on Urban Legends (the Internet hoax website). This is NOT a hoax, so be very careful. NP
Subject: New Scam on Credit Cards
To all Clients:
WARNING...New Credit Card Scam 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 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
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. 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 to 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.
I checked this out on Urban Legends (the Internet hoax website). This is NOT a hoax, so be very careful. NP
Subject: New Scam on Credit Cards
To all Clients:
WARNING...New Credit Card Scam 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 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
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. 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 to 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.