Fraud Alert !

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

 I recieved this e-mail from a friend on the Wichita PD, on a fraud alert.

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 "Master Card".

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 will 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 next 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 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 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.

Long story made short -
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 Master Card" 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.

By informing each other, we protect each other.

[Hemlock Mike]

Find the bastards and beat them with a whip.  That will tell others not to do crap like this.

Mike

[Forty Rod]

Unfortunately, Mike, that's every victim's wet dream and it NEVER happens.

Sure would be fun, though.

[Advertising]

[tarheel mac]

And by the way, BIG THANKS for the lovely Marshel'ette....very useful info....

[Ozark Iron John]

Marshellette, Have ya'll listed your house with a real estate agent's multi-listing service recently?  I don't mean to be casting any dispartions on realtors, but ........... them kinda things tend to happen when someone's getting ready or just recently moved.  I know ya'll are considering your options and ......... well that's one you might think about.

[Paper Chaser]

Yep, happened to me!  When I asked why they needed the 3 digit number the reply was to verify I had the card in my possession.  When I told them I was looking at it I was asked to read the number to VERIFY!  By this time I knew something was amiss so I politely(?) said good night.  So ya'll be careful out there.

[Ozark Iron John]

Ya'll need to report that to your state's Attorney General.

[Bristow Kid]

Thanks for the warning marshal'ette.

[Chance]

Thanks for the warning. Guess it won't be long before that scam reaches this side of the pond.

[Arcey]

A couple tips........

First, and you won't know why until it's too late, get your charge cards through the bank you deal with.  That way when there's a problem you can deal face to face with someone wanting to keep your business.  Otherwise, you may be on long distance with someone who doesn't half speak English and doesn't care if you cancel the account.

The long distance folks will send you an Affidavit of Fraud and credit your account after you execute and return it.  Then, they'll tell you to report it to your local police department.  They'll have no intent to prosecute the case.  Isn't worth the effort to them.  In most states, at this point, you no longer have the standing to prosecute because you haven't suffered a loss.  With your account credited you're simply a witness.  Annoying as all hell but you can't prosecute because you're annoyed.

When you get the card from your friendly local banker DO NOT sign the back of the card.  If you write anything on it, in big block letters put CHECK I.D.

Never, ever, give any information about any of your accounts to someone who you are not totally sure works for the bank.  If someone calls asking for anything be polite and hang up without offering any information.  Call your branch manager the next day.  If the bank is doing some sort of promotion or collecting information the government is forcing them to collect, the manager will know.  If not she/he can find out.  Besides that, there isn't anything about your account(s) the bank won't know anyway.

Thieves practicing this type of larceny count on people being lax or stupid.  They can't steal from you if you don't let them.  And, it's a good form of income with little risk if they know how and you cooperate.  That part I won't go into.  The thieves work to figure out how to make a living.  They work hard at it and it seems at times they're always a step ahead.  But, if you follow those simple tips you'll go a long way to mess 'em up and send 'em off to someone else.  They'll never quit trying.......

Now.  How does ole Arcey know all this?  In another life, before retirement, I ran the Fraud/Forgery Squad of a fairly good sized police department. 

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

The BEST piece of advice Ol' Arcey gave (and it was all good advice) came inthe first sentence.  Get your credit card from the bank that you actually bank with.  It will make your life much easier in the event that someone steals your CC info.

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

Dang.. they just don't stop do they? 

Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough
   people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of
   scam has surfaced.  Fall for it and your identity could be stolen,
   reports CBS News.

   In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official who
   threateningly says a warrant has been issued for your arrest because
   you didn't show up for jury duty.  The caller claims to be a jury
   coordinator.   If yo  u protest that you never received a summons
   for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and
   date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the
   arrest warrant. Sometimes they even ask for credit card numbers
   Give out any of this information and bingo!  Your identity just got
   stolen.  The scam has been reported so far in 11 states, including
   Oklahoma,  Illinois, and Colorado. This (scam) is particularly
   insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try and
   bully people into giving information by pretending they're with the
   court system.
   The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts
   on their websites, warning consumers about the fraud.

Check it out here: http://www.snopescom/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp

[Arcey]

Told y'all they'll never quit tryin'..........

HEY!!!  Who swiped my shiney new Deputy Marshal's badge while I weren't lookin'?!?!?!?!?!?

[Lucky Irish Tom]

Bet it was them same varmints!

[ColonelFlashman]

They actually became up-set & then became rather hostile when I wouldn't provide my S.N. from my card, so i just hung up on them after telling them to Bugger Off.
A female originated the call & then passed me on to her supervisor, it was intertaining to state the least after I started to Twig to what was really going on.
I must state that I actually Bated them & made it much more fun for me.

[Toccoa Kate]

I had someone call me at work number, knew my name and that I just bought a DELL, trying to sell me 1/2 price warranty on it, all they needed was my SS# to access my account.....I refused and hung up and then reported it to DELL and it was a scam.  It happened within two weeks of purchasing my DELL.  I had it shipped to my work address so I'm figuring some one at UPS got my info off the shipping label......They are tricky, but I do my best to stay alert to these scams as I sure get bombarded with them on a daily basis!  Thanks for the info on the credit cards Arcey!!  That's a great idea!
~~Toccoa Kate