>From a posting on another Forum - it comes from the genuine Halifax Visa Team
This is a customer's story: A friend was called on the telephone this week from 'VISA' and I was called on Thursday from 'Mastercard'. It worked like this: Person calling says, 'this is Carl Patterson (any name) and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badgenumber is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Company a device/any expensive item, for £497.99 from a marketing company based in (any town)? 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 (they give 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 0800 number listed on your card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this "control Number. They then give you a 6-digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?' The Caller then says he 'needs to verify you are in possession of your card' and this is where the scam takes place as, up until now, they have asked for nothing. They then ask you to turn over the card. There are 16 numbers followed by 3 which are the security numbers that are there to verify that you hold the card. Those 3 numbers are the ones they are after because they can be used to make purchases over the internet. 'That is correct' they say 'just needed to check that the card wasn't stolen and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions? - don't hesitate to call us back if you do.' You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number, but after we were called on Wednesday we telephones back within 20 minutes and are 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 had been put 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 scam wants is the 3-digit number-By the time you get your statement, you think the credit is coming and then it's actually harder to file a fraud report. THE REAL VISA/MASTERCARD DEPARTMENT REINFORCED THE POINT THAT THEY WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING ABOUT THE CARD SINCE THEY ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!!. What makes this even more remarkable is that on Thursday I got a call from '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), and they said they are taking several of these reports daily and to tell friends, relatives and co-workers so please pass this on to your friends................ ============================================================================ Regards, Ann McClean in Llanmerewig, Mid-Wales, U.K. [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Keep the faith. Persistence pays off eventually -- don't expect instant answers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
