SHIELDING CARD SCAMS

SHIELDING CARD SCAMS

(Information collected from news paper Times of India)

PRECAUTIONS AT A T Ms

General:

To start with stay away from ATMs those appear dirty or in disrepair. They may not work or, worse, may be fake machines set to capture your card information.

Check machine:

Do not use ATMs with unusual signage, such as command to enter your PIN twice to complete the transaction. Also watch out for the machines that appear to have been altered.

Cover keypad:

Make sure to cover keypad with your hand while entering the PIN to escape any cameras.

Don’t take help:

It is advisable to use your own bank ATMs, particularly those attached to a bank branch and those that have guards. Avoid taking help of any person loitering outside ATM or volunteering to assist you.

Check machine:

Do not use ATMs with unusual signage, such as command to enter your PIN twice to complete the transaction. Also watch out for the machines that appear to have been altered.

ONLINE PRECAUTIONS

Use safe sites:

Go only to well known, established sites for e-shopping. Shop only on those that are Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certified. These can be identified through the lock symbol next to the browser’s URL box. Also make sure that the website uses the ‘https’ protocol instead of ‘http’ where‘s’ stands for ‘secure’. You should also look out for a site’s payment verification tools.

Anti-virus software:

Install anti-virus software on your computer and smart phone to keep out malware. You can also install identity theft detection apps on your phone. Besides have software on your smart phone that enables you to wipe out data remotely if it gets stolen.

Debit card:

Do not use your debit card for e-commerce transactions. If your card is compromised, the entire cash in your bank account can be wiped out instantly. The credit card on the other hand offers a month’s grace period before the cash leaves your bank.

Hide CVV:

When you enter the CVV on the site it should be masked by asterisks. Use a virtual keyboard to avoid keystroke logging.

Public Wi-Fi:

Avoid using unsecured Wi-Fi networks or public Wi-Fi as these are easy targets for identity theft.

Register for alerts:

This is a very important step since the bank will alert you to any online card transactions or ATM withdrawals the moment they take place. Remember to update your mobile number in case of a change.

Log out:  

Always log out from social media sites and other online accounts to ensure data security and avoid storing confidential passwords on your mobile phones.

Change passwords:

Keep changing passwords from time to time to reduce the probability of identity theft.

Virtual cards:

Use this prepaid card if you are not a frequent shopper. It is a limited debit card that does not provide the primary card information to the merchant and expires after a day.

OFFLINE PRECAUTIONS

Don’t disclose details:

Never reveal your PIN, CVV or password to anyone. Make sure not to respond to e-mails or SMSes that ask for crucial personal or card related details. No bank or credit card firm is authorized to seek card details on mail or through phone.

Check statements:

Regularly go through your bank or credit card statements so that you can detect any unauthorized transaction.

Merchants and POS:

At shops or petrol bunks, make sure that your card is not taken to a remote location where you cannot see it as the card information can be easily copied and stolen. Also try shopping with retailers that use chip-enabled card readers.

Don’t sign blank receipts:

Ensure that you never sign a blank receipt, and mark through any blank lines or spaces before signing so that nobody can add any additional amount to your transaction.

Use an accountt without card:
It is always safe to have an account without card. A minimum required amount may be kept in the account with card and the rest may be transferred to the account without card occasionally.