Gift Cards Being Passed Off As Credit Cards
The con-men and thieves have found another way to use credit cards while practicing their art. Actually, in this case it’s gift cards being passed off to look like credit cards. Allow me to explain.
The latest scam to come to our attention has the offenders using Visa gift cards. They will place the names and numbers from stolen credit cards on Visa gift cards to make them appear as legitimate Visa credit cards.
They will then make purchases with the phony credit card. The transactions will not go through because the card reader cannot read the magnetic strip that contains the account holder’s information.
The unsuspecting clerk will then assume that their must be some sort of bug with the card reader and will then enter the number on the face of the card and presto – the transaction is processed.
All legitimate credit cards have raised engraving stamped on them that spell out the credit card account number, expiration date and cardholder’s name.
That fact that the bogus card did not have raised print on it should have been a red flag for the store clerk. But alas, there are quite a few store clerks that are either clueless or just don’t care.
Anyone that accepts cash or credit transactions must be educated on how to spot fraud. Just for the fact that the card couldn’t pass through the reader should have sent a signal that there was something wrong.
Related Information:
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