A recent credit card scam has been gaining a little attention lately and has inspired me to remind all of you reading this blog to never, ever disclose your credit card information over the phone unless you are the one that did the calling and you are certain the person you are talking to represents a legitimate organization.
To further make the story seem realistic, the fraudster than asks the person if he or she has recently purchased a special anti-telemarketing device for a whopping $497.99. Of course, the person hasn’t purchased one of these devices and freaks at the thought of fraudulent activity taking place on their credit card. So, they provide the scammer with a bunch of information that they shouldn’t, such as their address and account number.
According to the authorities, the fraudsters already have the account information. What they really need is the three digit security number (also known as CVC2 or CVV2 codes) on the back of the card. Armed with this information, they can make purchases with the card without the card holder knowing about it – until they receive their credit card statements of course.
Remember, those three digits are golden and you should never give that information out over the phone – particularly if that person calls you. These fraudsters know how to make the call seem very legitimate and will utilize scare tactics in order to make you feel like you have no choice but to disclose information. If you are really that concerned about the legitimacy of the call, hang up and call the 800 number on the back of your card to talk to a customer service representative and confirm whether or not you really have a security problem to contend with.
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