When a fraudster gets hold of a stolen credit card they cannot instantly be sure that it will work for them. Prior to the introduction of PIN numbers they would find a shop and buy a small, inocuous item, as a test to see if the card was blocked or not.
In recent years the introduction of Chip and PIN has meant that most credit card scams now take place over the internet as the absence of the card makes things easier for the fraudsters. They evolved from testing the cards in real shops too – making small donations to charities became a common practice for determining a credit card’s viability.
Fast forward to today and the credit card scammers have found a new means of testing cards – iPhone downloads.
They will attempt to download a music track, for around a dollar and, if successful, will then move on to bigger purchases. They will continue to use the card until such time as it is cancelled or the credit limit is reached.
With this knowledge in hand, you should examine your credit card statements carefully, as ever, but also be alert to any small payments taken for music downloads – they may be an indication that bigger amounts are soon to be debited.
If you believe the security of your credit card has been compromised then you should contact the card issuer immediately in order to have it blocked at the very least.
Also remember to contact the police to gain a crime number in case of a future claim and consider too, that if any personally identifying information could have got into the fraudster’s hands, then you may also be susceptible to identity theft.
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{ 1 comment }
Whatever will the scammers think of next?
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