Warlady
05-26-2004, 08:51 AM
*I checked with Snopes (http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp) and this is NOT a hoax email.
VISA & MASTERCARD Telephone Credit Card Scam
This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA &
Mastercard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to
protect yourself. Thanks to Dr. Pat Cloney for passing this on. Those
con artists get more creative every day.
My husband 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> 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 #" 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,
"he needs 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 your card number, the next 3 are the 'Security Numbers' that
verify you are in possession of the card. These are the numbers you use
to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. Read me the 3
numbers". 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 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 charge on on our card.
Long story made short, we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA
card, and they are reissuing us a new number. What the scammers wants 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 direct. 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 to late and/or harder
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.
Please pass this on to all your friends. By informing each other, we
protect each other. Thank-You.
VISA & MASTERCARD Telephone Credit Card Scam
This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA &
Mastercard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to
protect yourself. Thanks to Dr. Pat Cloney for passing this on. Those
con artists get more creative every day.
My husband 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> 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 #" 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,
"he needs 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 your card number, the next 3 are the 'Security Numbers' that
verify you are in possession of the card. These are the numbers you use
to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. Read me the 3
numbers". 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 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 charge on on our card.
Long story made short, we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA
card, and they are reissuing us a new number. What the scammers wants 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 direct. 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 to late and/or harder
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.
Please pass this on to all your friends. By informing each other, we
protect each other. Thank-You.