Beware Of New Credit Card Scams Via Email [VIDEO]
Now that credit cards come with fraud resistant chips, scammers are working even harder to steal from you.
Just about every credit or debit card comes with an EMV embedded chip that security experts say creates an "extra barrier" against fraud. Instead of swiping, we now insert our cards into machines that read these chips, but it isn't stopping scammers from finding new ways to steal our information or our money.
The new way is actually just another version of an old method of stealing information from people using email and fake bank notices. Bonnie Smyre, an Internet Security expert with RAXIS explains,
These type of phishing emails have been around for a long, long time. You might remember the, 'Hey I'm your long lost relative from a distant country and I left all of my money to you. I just need your banking account info'. Most people read those but said this looks fishy.
Scammers are now using the new EMV chip technology as a platform to "freshen up" their scandalous ways with emails that seem much more relevant and believable.
It's hard to tell that they're fake. They often fake an email address so it looks like it's from your bank. They use graphics from your bank. It looks very legit then they ask you, 'You need to update your information. Your card is on the way, but before it can take effect we need your personal and banking information to be updated'
Whatever you do, don't click on it and don't reply to it. It's literally a fresh take on one of the oldest tricks in the book. If anything looks suspicious your best bet is to actually contact your bank to make sure the email is legit.
I've actually had someone try a PayPal scam using the exact same tactics and when I contacted PayPal they were very helpful and even allowed me to provide information about the scammer.
As the old saying goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.
[via Fox5]