Many stories like this are urban legends, but snopes.com verifies this one as TRUE - although their date for it is 2003.
On Sep 2, 9:21 am, "David Raphael" <[email protected]> wrote: > Just in case you are not aware that you must never give the codes on the > back of your credit cards to anyone calling you over the phone! See below > the scam that is happening in England. > > Take care, > > David > > David Raphael 072 065 7223 > > Chairperson > > OBS NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH > > _____ > > . > > From: Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 08:58:23 +0200 > > WILTSHIRE POLICE Keeping you informed > > Swindon Police Station Gablecross Shrivenham Road South Marston > Swindon Wiltshire SN3 4RB Telephone: 0845 408 7000 > > Hi all, > > This has been passed on via another Force area through our own Fraud > Department In Wiltshire Constabulary, and it is a very convincing SCAM. We > have been asked to disseminate the information as widely and was quickly as > we can through Neighbourhood Watch, School Safe and others. > > 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 > "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 London ?" 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 0800 number listed on the back of your card (0800-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. Long story - 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 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 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 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.. > > = > > _____ > > I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter <http://www.spamfighter.com/len> > . > SPAMfighter has removed 34 of my spam emails to date. > > Do you have a slow PC? <http://www.spamfighter.com/SLOW-PCfighter?cid=sigen> > Try free scan! > > _____ > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG -www.avg.com > Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3106 - Release Date: 09/01/10 > 07:34:00 > > image001.jpg > 9KViewDownload -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en
