Flights that sometimes go unnoticed. Credit card fraud has multiplied in recent years, particularly with online payment and the introduction of contactless, which allows you to pay for purchases worth up to 50 euros. According to figures released in 2021, the French would be the most affected in Europe by the theft of bank details and more than 150,000 cards would be in circulation on the dark web.
As the Ministry of the Economy explains, you can be a victim of credit card fraud without it being stolen. “First, oppose your card. Then, contact your bank to be reimbursed”, specifies Bercy, recalling that two means exist to oppose your means of payment:
These numbers can also be used if your bank card is physically stolen, which can happen at the cash machine. As you know, these places are prime targets for scammers and they compete in ingenuity to trap you on your way. After the magic ticket scam and that of the Marseille collar, these thugs have a new method, reports La Libre.
According to the Belgian newspaper, this new process is done in two stages and it is especially the second part of their plan which risks being the most difficult to thwart. First, a piece of paper is inserted into the slot of the cash dispenser, in order to block your bank card at the time of insertion. Thanks to a tool, the crooks then very easily recover your bank card and that’s it.
So far, there is nothing really revolutionary in the method used by these thugs, but the sequel will have some surprises in store for you…
The second part of the scam is more vicious and more dangerous. On its website, the Ministry of the Economy advises users whose card has been stolen to contact the number of their bank appearing “next to the ATMs”. This is the wrong thing to do, because these scammers have replaced the bank number with their own! If you call the one indicated next to the machine, you actually come across the thugs, who are pretending to be your bank.
As La Libre explains, they then ask you for your bank details, including your secret code. Thinking of talking to your adviser, you are not suspicious… However, there is a reflex to have at all times.
Even if you plan to speak to your bank adviser, never give him your details and especially not your secret code. Besides, these professionals do not have to ask you and they will not, explains a banker to Planet. This is information they do not need to oppose your bank card. If the person on the phone is insistent despite your refusals, hang up immediately and use the purple number of the interbank service, which is completely secure.
