Phone Scams

These scams have been an attempt by persons too obtain information or to deceive victims into calling premium rate phone numbers. Please see below for details of current scams:-

Mastercard/Visa Scam

A friend was called on the telephone thisweek from 'VISA' and I was called on Thursday from  'MasterCard'.

It worked like this: Person calling says, 'this is  Carl Patterson (any
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. Did you purchase an
Anti-Telemarketing Company a  device/any expensive item, for £497.99 from a marketing company based  in (any town?)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 (they give 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 0800
number listed on  your card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control  number. They then give you a 6-digit number. 'Do you need me  to read it again?' Caller then says he needs to verify 'you are in possession of your card' (this is where the scam  takes place as up until now they have requested nothing!). They then ask you to turn your card over. There are 7numbers; the first  4 are 1234 (or whatever, as they have your number anyway).The  next 3 are the security numbers that verify that you are in possessionof the card (these are the numbers they are really after as  these are the numbers you use to make internet purchases to prove you  have the card)..

'Read me the 3 numbers.' When you do  he says '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? Don't hesitate to call back if you do.' You  actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we telephoned 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 put on our card.

We made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card. What the scam wants is  the 3-digit number and that once the charge goes through, they keep  changing every few days. By the time you get your statement, you think  the credit is coming, and then it's harder to actually file a fraud report.

THE REAL VISA/MASTERCARD DEPARTMENT REINFORCED THE POINT  THAT THEY WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING ABOUT THE CARD SINCE THEY ALREADY  KNOW EVERYTHING
ABOUT IT!!!!.

What makes this even  more remarkable is that on Thursday I got a call
from '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), and they said they are taking several of these  reports daily and to tell friends, relatives and co-workers so please pass this on to your friends................"