gumby
I AM GUMBY DAMMIT
Not sure if this has been posted. Figured if one person sees this and it helps them, it's worth it
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp
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 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.
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 to 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. Please
pass this on to all your family and friends. By
informing each other, we protect each other.
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp
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 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.
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 to 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. Please
pass this on to all your family and friends. By
informing each other, we protect each other.