When it comes to credit card scams, it is not a skillful hacker you should be worried about. Con artists have realized that they don’t have to hack into your account to grab your funds. All they need is your credit card number and personal data.
In this section, we highlight three of the most prolific methods used by criminals.
Fake Calls
There is an abundance of schemes that rely on directly contacting a target with the goal of eliciting sensitive information. In case of this type of fraud, they are out for your credit card details. The type of calls can range from non-existing charity organizations asking for a donation, to credit card security impersonators who are checking your information as a part of a safety check for a suspicious purchase.
Regardless of the background story, the scammer is trying to get your personal and credit card information for various reasons. The obvious one is to access your current funds, but a more problematic issue ends up being identity theft. Con artists abuse their victims’ personal information to take out loans, make expensive purchases or incur other types of debt.
Phishing
Similar to fake callers, this scam is also trying to extract your personal info. However in this case emails are the main point of entry. These emails usually present themselves as official companies and institutions and almost always contain a call for action. You might be offered a job opportunity by a head-hunting agency. Additionally, a phishing email may pose as a security breach warning that prompts you to verify your account.
Once the target clicks on a link in the email they are relegated to a site that looks genuine enough. It is illegitimate, though, and its only function is to extract your private data. Once the scammers get a hold of your personal information they can then use it for nefarious purposes.
Credit Card Skimming
This form of data extraction is difficult to detect as it can occur without the victims’ involvement. It relies on an electronic gadget whose purpose is to read, store and even transmit personal information from the credit card. They basically skim your data off your card. These specialized readers are fitted secretly on various types of devices. Skimming may happen while you’re using your card to pay for groceries, getting a bill at the restaurant, or taking up cash at an ATM.
Public Wi-Fi
Who doesn’t like free internet?! Well, there’s a reason why people are cautioned when accessing public Wi-Fi networks. They might not be secure and you’re opening your device to malicious tampering. Scammers use this fact to breach into the network system and they can exploit it to get into victims’ phones and computers. Once inside the device, they can monitor any actions or browse through apps, collect data, or worse.
Another deceitful scam involves setting up a false Wi-Fi access point. The device might connect to it automatically or an unsuspecting user enters it willingly. The victim is unaware that they aren’t connected to an actual Wi-Fi but to a system that enables scammers to monitor and tamper with their smartphones.
What Can You Do in Case of a Credit Card Scam?
If you suspect that malicious parties might have acquired your credit card info, or you know someone who has been a victim of a credit card scam, the important thing is to react promptly. Best you can do is contact a professional to mitigate the damage. We at Assets Fund Recovery would like to offer our services to help you combat this troublesome problem.
Our team has particular experience in dealing with credit card fraud. You should know that you have options and we can help you expedite the process of your fund recovery. In the case of small-scale credit card fraud and unauthorized charges, we can offer quick solutions. Most of these problems we can resolve for you in a matter of days.
Unfortunately, identity theft cases might take considerably more time. Our team of professionals will evaluate your case and we will provide you with an optimal plan for damage control and fund recovery. Take matters into your own hands and contact us for a free consultation.