Where card fraud takes place
Locations for fraud include:
Cash machine fraud – Criminals commit fraud at cash machines in a number of ways:
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Skimming – a skimming device is attached to the card entry slot to record the electronic details from the magnetic stripe of your card as it is inserted into the cash machine. A separate, miniature pinhole camera is hidden overlooking the PIN pad to film you inputting your PIN. This enables the criminal to produce a counterfeit card with your card details on it and to withdraw money at a cash machine, using your PIN.
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Shoulder surfing – where criminals look over your shoulder and watch you enter your PIN, then steal your card using distraction techniques or pick-pocketing.
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Card-trapping – a device, inserted into a cash machine card slot, retains your card inside the cash machine. The criminal then tricks you into re-entering your PIN while they watch. After you stop trying and leave the machine the criminal removes the device, with your card, and withdraws cash.
Fraud abroad – most of the fraud committed abroad on UK-issued cards is on cards that have been skimmed or compromised in the UK. However, this kind of fraud also occurs as a result of British holidaymakers having their cards stolen or compromised while they are away.
Fraud on the Internet/e-commerce fraud – most of this type of fraud involves the use of card details, fraudulently obtained through methods such as skimming or bin-raiding. Your card details are then used to make fraudulent card-not-present transactions, most commonly via the Internet. A smaller proportion of Internet fraud occurs when the criminal uses a genuine card intercepted in the post or obtained by application fraud.
Spam e-mail gives fraudsters an easy way of contacting millions of Internet users areound the world, regardless of their physical location to try to dupe people into disclosing valuable personal information that could be used to commit all types of identity theft or to get card details that can then be used to make fraudulent purchases.
