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 Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:37 pm
Cedit Card Scam
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. My husband 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. Long story made 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 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.
~ Gwyndara~
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:59 pm
I've heard about things like that. Not just with credit cards, but with other personal information. The best advice is if it's not information that you are comfortable giving it out, don't! ESPECIALLY if YOU did NOT INIATE the call.
I don't remember who the caller said they were but I had a call that asked for like my SSN# AND my Mother's maiden name (informatoin often used as a password type question for things such as credit cards). I gave neither over the phone and informed the caller that I was not comfortable releasing personal information over the phone, especially on a call that I did not initate. If the caller gets pushy (and you're not comfortable just hanging up) have them give you a number to call back, and before you do, make sure the the number IS who you think that you're calling!!! Don't just call back because they gave you that number.
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:54 pm
Thank you for the information. I had someone try to do that same thing to me a few days ago! I realized it was a scam because I had never gotten around to giving the company my new phone number, so they couldn't have been them.
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:10 pm
That's downright frightening. Good thing my house phone is shared among my roomates and I and none of us answer to anyone not listed in the Caller ID, we just let the machine talk to anyone we don't know. I'm the same way with my cell phone, I never give it to anyone other then friends and don't answer to unknown numbers unless it's in my free minutes, and usually then it's just someone yelling at me in Chinese and asking for 'Lilly'. xd
Thanks for the info Gwyn, and I'm really glad none of you have been taken for your money.
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:56 pm
*sigh* It's things like this that make me lose my faith in humanity...
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Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:27 pm
Wow!
I am glad I know about that! xd heart
I'm glad it all got worked out!
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 3:06 pm
Thank you for posting this.
I'm only 18 and got my credit/debit cards in December. So seeing that I have had them for less than 6 months and I hardly use them, I would have had little experience in recognizing this as a scam.
I'm also glad that you got that worked out too. heart
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