Tap and go theft on rise Stolen credit cards fuelling opportunistic crime

PAYWAVE tap and go payment technology is increasingly being exploited by criminals in Townsville to commit credit card fraud.

Latest crime statistics from the Queensland Police Service show in the Townsville region there were 518 reported cases of fraud by credit card in the last financial year, which was an increase from the previous 12 months’ 468 reported cases.

Townsville Detective Inspector Kelly Harvey said residential burglaries and theft from vehicles were linked to the ongoing rise in fraud by credit card offences.

Insp Harvey said any credit card was vulnerable if it fell into the wrong hands.

“In terms of fraud by credit card, there seems to be more issues nowadays because users can use paywave tap and go payment technology without putting in a PIN code for transactions under $ 100,” she said.

“Offenders are stealing credit cards and carrying out a large number of under $ 100 transactions that don’t require a PIN code. It can be some time before a person actually realises their credit card has been stolen and has that reported to their bank.”

Insp Harvey said police en- couraged members of the public to do what they could to protect their credit cards.

“It’s important people secure their personal items in their home and in their vehicles to make it harder for those opportunistic people to steal such items,” she said.

“In terms of break- in to houses, we do encourage people to put their belongings, car keys ( and) wallets in a secure place rather than say on the kitchen bench. If people do get broken into, those items are harder to find.

“The same goes for vehicles. Of course, lock your car when you leave but also if you are leaving possessions such as wallets in the vehicle, put them in a secure, hidden place.”

Insp Harvey said police worked closely with retailers in Townsville to encourage them to notify police if they deemed a situation of a person using the tap and go payment technology as suspicious.

Statistics also showed an increase of identity fraud in Townsville from eight cases in the 2015- 16 financial year to 30 cases for the 2016- 17 period.

Overall in the Townsville region, the number of fraud offences – which included fraud by computer, fraud by cheque, fraud by credit card, identity fraud and other fraud – stood at 1240 reported cases during the past financial year, up from 1075 during the previous financial year.