Visa Scam

[jetmizter2]

Email from our accounts dept...

At this time of year approaching Christmas, please take
note and be aware.

This is from a contact in the Halifax Visa team so it is happening!!
Visa and MasterCard Scam.

A friend was called on the telephone this week 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 7 numbers; 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 possession
of 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. Long story made short.

We made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card and they are
reissuing us a new number. 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................"

[wazza2005]

any objections if i post your report at a different website/forum?

[Worldlife]

Thanks for posting jetmizter....

It's a scam that appears so convincing and so cunning the way you are softened up.

The nearest official call I had along these lines was when we were on holiday and had used our credit card in three countries on one day. UK - Gibraltar-Spain and it was seen as a suspicious spending pattern. Their security however stated what we had spent and merely sought verification.

Main difference between the scam and a genuine security check is that the genuine security operation don't want any of your card details.

[ormus55]

i had 3 requests from africa on my yahoo email addy last week. one actually using my real first name but got the surname wrong by 1 letter.
this one was unusual as it went on about some fatal car crash in which the driver had left millions to a mr d a**** . etc etc blah blah blah.

the others were the usual stuff about millions waiting to be claimed and repatriated out of the country.

be careful out there.

[ormus55]

Dear David Axxxx,
I am Barrister Markus Owoh, a solicitor at law, personal attorney to Mr.P.A Axxxn,a national Of your country, who used to work with Shell Development Company in Republic of Togo.
Here in after shall be referred to as my client. On the 20st of April 2001, my client, his wife and their only daughter were involved in auto crash along ecowas express road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost there lives.
Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy here to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the fund valued at US$30.5 million left behind by my client before it gets confisicated or declared unserviceable by the Union Togolaise De Banque where this huge amount was deposited. The said Bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have his account confisicated within the next twenty one official working days. Since I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives for over 2years now, I seek the consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased since you have the same last names, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you.
Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer.I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim. All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me through this email for more details.
Best regards
Barr. Markus Owoh.

[ormus55]

its my lucky week, now ive won 1.5 million dollars too!




LIBERTY LOTTERY PROMO
AN AFFILIATE OF INTERNATIONAL LOTTO COMMISSION
FROM: INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
REF: BNGH/6311789809/04
BATCH: 95/010/IPDO /NL
RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION .
Sir/Madam
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on the 25th November, 2004. Your e-mail
address attached to ticket number 87541555285-745 with serial number
3642-99
drew lucky numbers 74-0857-67-71-6-32 which consequently won in the 1st
category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
1,500,000.00 US Dollars. (One Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars
)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your
winning information confidential until your claims has been processed
and
your money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to
avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some
participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from over 200,000 company and 500,000 individual email addresses and
names from all over the world.This promotional program takes place
every
three year. We hope with part of your winning you will take part in our
end of year Five million Euros International lottery. To file for your
claim, please contact our fiducial agent MR.RUSSELL HART of WESTEND
FINANCE BV (Monday - Friday, B/W 9:00-18:00 G.M.T)
TEL: 31-617-268-899
FAX: 31-649-018-846
Email : westendfinbv@netscape.net
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 8th of December,
2004. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next
stake. Note that in order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications,
please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all
correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent
as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for
being part of our promotional program.
Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Jan de Boer
Lottery Cordinator

[gem]

A friend has just sent me a copy of an email about that Visa scam - exactly word for word as jetmizter2's. Guess it's doing the rounds!

[oldboy2000]

Ormus....

This is a Begging Letter !!

[silver]

Apparently the story in that form has been doing the rounds for a few years,. I bet you would be hard pushed to find a single person who has been dialled in that way..

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp

Though of course you should always be on your guard against emails or phone calls that try an snag any personal details..

Sil

edit you can see the rehash of the snoopes version - changed context from US to UK..

[Worldlife]

The scam mentioned by ormus is not unique and won't catch out those who are alert to such trickery. The original one posted by jet is extremely clever and deceitful so it could.

I've copied jet's original around to my contacts and one reported back that his local shopkeeper had been caught!!!

[ormus55]

i wont bore u with the details but ive won another 15 million dollars and am due to inherit another few million quid from another car crash this week!

up to now i reckon im worth more than elton john?

[jetmizter2]

There are so many people out there trying alsorts of angles is no wonder some people fall foul of them :o(((((((