For years identity thieves and scammers would use skimmers installed at ATMs and on card processing equipment such as at gas pumps (where this is still a problem) and at retail checkouts to steal the debit or credit card information from the magnetic strip on the card and then use it to access the victim’s account.  The development of the chip credit card where a computer chip is contained on the card which provides a new number each time the card is used dramatically reduced the amount of credit and debit card theft with the exception of online purchases where the chip cannot be used (well, nobody’s perfect).  Now however, clever criminals have come up with a new way to access your bank account through your debit card.

The scam starts when you get a phone call that appears to come from your bank informing you that there has been fraudulent activity on your debit card.  Using a technique called “spoofing” the scammers are able to manipulate your Caller ID so that it indicates that your bank is calling you.  The scammer then goes on to tell you that you need to cut up your card, but keep the chip from the card to be picked up by a bank employee.  The phony bank employee then shows up to pick up the chip and using social engineering lures the victim into providing his or her PIN.

Once the scammer has your PIN and the chip, he or she can create a debit card and go to any ATM and empty your bank account.

TIPS

Whenever you get a phone call, you can never be sure who is actually calling you.  If you get a call that purports to be from your bank informing you of some problem, you should hang up and call your bank at a telephone number that you know is accurate to determine if the call was a scam.  You also can go online to your bank account to determine that no fraudulent access had occurred.

In addition, no bank will ever ask you to give them back the chip on your credit card or ask for your PIN.

B.S.  Be skeptical!

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