Submitted by Donna Phelps
It would be easy to fall for this Visa/Master Card scam!
Telephone callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. The person calling says, “This is ______, and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My badge number is ______. 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 ________. 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 (your home 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 and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this control number.” The caller then gives you a six digit number and asks, “Do you need me to read it again?”
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 seven numbers. The first four are part of your card number. The last three 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 three numbers to him. After you tell the caller the three 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 he 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. 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 scammer wants is the three-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don’t give it to them! Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or Mastercard 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 scammer the three-digit PIN number, you think you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get the 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.•