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<blockquote type="cite" cite>Visionaries--this new credit card scam
was sent to me by a constituent.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>Rep. Tom Trail</blockquote>
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<blockquote><font face="Arial" size="-1"
color="#000000"><b>Subject:</b> FW: New Credit Card Scam</font><br>
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<blockquote><font face="Arial" size="+3" color="#000000"><b>This one
is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information,
except the one piece they want.</b></font><font face="Arial"
size="-1" color="#000000"><br>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial" size="+3" color="#000000"><b>WARNING...New
Credit Card Scam.<br>
</b></font><font face="Arial" size="+1" color="#000000"><br>
</font><font face="Arial" size="+3" color="#000000">Note, the callers
do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This
information is worth reading.<u> By understanding how the VISA
&MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better
prepared to protect yourself.<br>
</u><br>
One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA",
and I was called on Thursday from "MasterCard".<br>
</font><font face="Arial" size="+1" color="#000000"><br>
</font><font face="Arial" size="+3" color="#000000">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 Marketi ng company based in
Arizona?"<br>
<br>
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?"<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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?"<br>
<br>
<b>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.</b> 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
I checked this out on snopes.com<br>
<br>
<br>
Long story made short - we made a real fraud report and closed the
VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number.<b><br>
<br>
What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the
card</b>.<b> Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call
VISA or Master card directly for verification of their
conversation.</b><br>
<br>
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.</font><font face="Arial" size="-1" color="#000000"><br>
</font><font face="Arial" size="+3" color="#000000"><br>
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.</font></blockquote>
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<i><b>Please pass this on to all your family and friends. By informing
each other, we protect each other.</b></i></font><br>
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<div>Dr. Tom Trail<br>
International Trails<br>
1375 Mt. View Rd.<br>
Moscow, Id. 83843<br>
Tel: (208) 882-6077<br>
Fax: (208) 882-0896<br>
e mail ttrail@moscow.com</div>
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