New Credit Card Scam Snopes.com says this is true. See this site - http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp.

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was called on Thursday from "Master Card".

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 whi ch was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona ?" 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?"

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.

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?"

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 ov er 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. 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.

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.

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly fo r verification of their conversation. 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.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a "Jason Richardson of Master Card" 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.

eeeek! Good info!

I know of a telemarketing company that always, always asks for the CCV code and having worked there part-time didn't agree with that among some of their other practices, so I quickly left the company!

Thanks for the post, there are so many trusting, unsuspecting people in the world that the more info that gets out, the smarter we all will be :grin:

I agree with you totally Rascal, you have to be so careful and keep up to date on everything that is going on these days!

Thanks for letting us know about this . Wow they are getting sneaker and sneaker .

Thank you much for posting up this info. I moved it to General Discussion so that people did not think that it was a Joke

I urge everyone to be very, very careful with ANY credit info.

If anyone calls up saying they are from yuor Credit Card company and that there is some kind of issue say "Thanks, Ill follow up through the main number."

Yup that's why I never do any transactions over the phone. Esp if it's bank people saying I've been pre-approved for something. I never let them finish their whole spiel. I tell them, they already got my phone number (it's my cell phone # too that's not listed anywhere), they must have my address somewhere. I ask them where they got it, but they never tell me.

If they wanna talk to me more, they can just send me a letter.

Interesting stuff!! Thanks for that Mercedes

You're all very welcome

Thank you for moving this to the proper site too