The 3 Digit Number in Question

A scam is on the horizon    

that will take advantage of your Visa/Mastercard.   Read on for the alert that is fast covering the US once again.   

Visa / MasterCard FRAUD   

Snopes has verified this as a true occurrence.     

This is not my story, but we have had people fraudulently use our cards also…all were unaware to us!  The credit card company called us to tell say they were issuing new cards.  It’s an inconvenience, but better than the alternative.  Someone in Spain was using our number on a fake card buying dinner when the credit card company called us to see if we were using the card.  No, I was at home eating leftovers!!  We had not lost our cards and they explained when people get ahold of your card numbers it goes online immediately and cards are spit out.  People then buy your numbers on a fake card and use it.  Our credit card company has told us more than once, when we leave the country (even just crossing the border to Canada), if we will be using our card…call ahead to let them know  We’ve had the phone handed to us when in Canada making a (large amount) purchase to verify it was us by the credit card company.   

In this story, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it.

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 last 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 last 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 were 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..   

Never Give Them the 3 Digit Pin Number

The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the informationsince 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. I dealt with a similar situation this morning, with the caller telling me that $3,097 had been charged to my account for plane tickets to Spain , and so on through the above routine.   

 

 Always verify the identity of people with whom you speak. For security questions or concerns about your credit card, call the credit card company who issued the card the people on the phone are asking about. Have the person on the phone give you their name, department and extension. Then hang up and call him back through the phone number listed on your credit card or billing statement.  

   

Would you have fallen for this type of phone call? Has anyone hijacked your credit card? Leave your comments for the readers!!  

By the way, do you carry this card?