New scam

[GMC]

This advice just came in, it may suck in those that are taken by surprise.....

VERY IMPORTANT, READ IT CAREFULLY
 
Visa / MasterCard FRAUD

Just a heads up for everyone regarding the latest in Visa fraud. Royal Bank received this communication about the newest scam. This is happening in southern Alberta right now and moving

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 last 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 last 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 were 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 too 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.

[Rossvickicampbell]

this one is a bit like pyramid selling - has been around previously.

Hey Geoff - I will be in SA - make sure you bring some of those beers with you that you owe me 

[Tex]

Speaking of new-old scams, here's another one that I've encountered twice in the last few weeks...

The caller will identify themselves as employees of some official sounding computer organisation, or even Microsoft. They'll ask for you by name, and know the postal address. They'll then start crapping on about a spate of computer virus infections in your area (because computer viruses work via postcode, right).

They then try to insist that you turn on the computer and allow them to talk you through the 'fix'. Obviously I never went that far, but from what I gather this usually results in the dupe paying for some useless virus protection, or being infected with some kind of malware.

No-one is ever going to call you to tell you there's a virus, or some other problem with your computer!

Once you start asking questions of the caller, (i.e. who are you really? what is your number so I can call back later? etc) in my experience they just hang up.

On the face of it, it's a pretty obvious scam, but I could see how some people might be taken in by it.

Tex

[Nathan S]

Yeah, they've tried that one on us twice recently. The general trend is that if you're rude to them, they don’t try again. My dad did the " no thanks" about four times before he got rude and they left him alone. It only took my wife two goes before she got rude, and so far, so good.
So just in case you needed an excuse to swear at a scammer...

[crash n bern]

I also got a call from someone claiming to be from Telstra stating that their mail hasn't been getting through to me. (The bills do) They wanted me to verify who I was D.O.B. etc.  Even had an Indian accent.

[Lozza]

There is a Charger R/T for $10,000 doing the rounds also.

[cheapracer]

Phttt, I have no problems if I lose a little money from a few cards because I have millions coming to my bank account from some lost Nigerian deceased estate account next week - and it only cost me $600 to set up the new account to receive it! Win!!

[Tim754]

Got a smoke alarm yep make them hold on for few seconds with some bullshit excuse, place receiver face down on said alarm.... press test button

[Iain Cameron]

cheapracer how lucky are you   if you are now so rich please send me 3 of your frames regards Iainyz . ps Ive had the microsoft scam tried on me let them go on for a few mins then said sorry I use mac the rude person hung up on me, no fun .

[mx250]

No one rings me :'(.

[matcho mick]

Speaking of new-old scams, here's another one that I've encountered twice in the last few weeks...

The caller will identify themselves as employees of some official sounding computer organisation, or even Microsoft. They'll ask for you by name, and know the postal address. They'll then start crapping on about a spate of computer virus infections in your area (because computer viruses work via postcode, right).

They then try to insist that you turn on the computer and allow them to talk you through the 'fix'. Obviously I never went that far, but from what I gather this usually results in the dupe paying for some useless virus protection, or being infected with some kind of malware.

No-one is ever going to call you to tell you there's a virus, or some other problem with your computer!

Once you start asking questions of the caller, (i.e. who are you really? what is your number so I can call back later? etc) in my experience they just hang up.

On the face of it, it's a pretty obvious scam, but I could see how some people might be taken in by it.

Tex

i copped that bullshit  awhile back,i just told them i didn't have a compoota,that stuffed her up (chick with indian accent),i'm thinking how would she know from looking me up  in the phone book??,

[Marc.com]

Yeah we get that all the time in Japan, some Indian calls up, they know your name from our company website and they start wanting other peoples details, titles, positions etc.... I would imagine they are either preparing data bases to sell on or they have a template that gives them enough information to knock off your identity.

Who knows some guy in a turban even today may be turning up at Kingsford Smith with an Aussie Passport calling himself Matcho Mick and has copies of your drivers license and credit cards.

[Tossa]

the biggest scam of all is being overcharged by Telstra and then trying to get it fixed!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike52]

Interesting thing about the Indians.
They may actually be legit.  
The story going around is that they have been HIRED to ring and are just doing the job according to the contract.

Why spend all day ringing when someone will do it for you for a few bucks and you are isolated from the mugs.

[Marc.com]

The story going around is that they have been HIRED to ring and are just doing the job according to the contract.

My first guess was that they are preparing data bases to be sold later on the 'information market', it is probably the people who are paying them that I would be more worried about ..... Jahovahs Wittnesses