Credit card scam warning
2:10pm Tuesday 28th December 2010
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ANDOVER police have issued a warning about a credit card scam so residents can be prepared and protect themselves from being caught out.
Telephone calls have been received from individuals who are claiming to be from the Security and Fraud Department at well known credit card companies like VISA and Mastercard.
They then claim that your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern and that they are calling to verify these payments.
They ask you to confirm you have purchase something which they know you haven’t, for example an anti-telemarketing device for £497.99 from a marketing company based in London.
When you say ‘no’ they will then tell you that they will be issuing a credit to your account and that they will be starting a fraud investigation.
They will read you your address and ask you to confirm it – they already have this information.
They will also reassure you that you can call the 0800 number on the back of the card should you have any further questions.
They will give you a six-digit number to quote when you call.
The caller will then say that they need to verify that you are in possession of your card.
They will ask you to turn your card over and look for some numbers.
There are seven numbers; the first four are part of your card number, the next three are security numbers that t 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 and this is what the people behind the scam are after.
The caller will ask you to read the three numbers to them.
VISA and Mastercard have confirmed that this is a scam and people who have given the caller their three digit security number found that new purchases, for large amounts of money, had been charged
to their cards shortly after the phone call.
Credit card companies already have the information on your card, since they were the ones that issued it to you, so they will never ask you to read them information from your card.
If you receive a telephone call like this then either hang up or tell the caller you will telephone your credit card company directly to verify the call.
Report all suspicious calls to the police.
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Category: Identity Theft Watch