Credit Card Scam Making Rounds in Midwest
By: Michael C. Fehn
Updated: March 18, 2013
Evansville Police are taking a preemptive strike in a scam that's making its way around the Midwest.
Officers say this credit card scam has not yet been reported in the city, but they want everyone to be informed, should they receive the call.
The scam works like this: The victim receives a call from someone claiming to be a member of the Visa or Mastercard Security Fraud Department. They tell the victim that there has been an unusual transaction on their card, usually in the range of $500. When the victim says they did not make the purchase, the person on the other end of the line offers a "credit" on the account. And this is where the real purpose of the call comes in. The victim doesn't realize it, but the "scammer" already has their credit card number, but needs the 3 digit security code. And after receiving it, they make a fraudulent purchase.
Police want to remind everyone to never give out any financial information over the phone or by email. They say if someone does contact you for this information, hang up and call the company yourself.
Officers say this credit card scam has not yet been reported in the city, but they want everyone to be informed, should they receive the call.
The scam works like this: The victim receives a call from someone claiming to be a member of the Visa or Mastercard Security Fraud Department. They tell the victim that there has been an unusual transaction on their card, usually in the range of $500. When the victim says they did not make the purchase, the person on the other end of the line offers a "credit" on the account. And this is where the real purpose of the call comes in. The victim doesn't realize it, but the "scammer" already has their credit card number, but needs the 3 digit security code. And after receiving it, they make a fraudulent purchase.
Police want to remind everyone to never give out any financial information over the phone or by email. They say if someone does contact you for this information, hang up and call the company yourself.
Comments
I'm not surprised. But I didn't get a call. What I received was a text message asking me to call an unfamiliar phone number because my bank account has been deactivated due to suspicious activities. But I knew it was a bluff right away. I didn't have an account with that bank in the first place.
I reported the call and posted the phone number at http://www.callercenter.com to raise a warning.
Robert S.
April 7, 2013 at 10:48 pm
