Keep ahead of card fraud crooks

BE ALERT over the festive season, as card fraudsters will be eyeing your credit or debit card and using various techniques to skim it and get hold of your PIN.

The annual card fraud report by the SA Banking Risk Information Centre was released this week, and showed an increase in credit and debit card fraud.

Sabric is a non-profit company formed by four major banks. The report found that KwaZulu-Natal was one of the three main provinces for credit card fraud losses and fraudulent debit card transactions.

Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 88 percent of the credit card fraud losses in South Africa.

The report states that the majority of the fraudulent debit card transactions this year occurred in Gauteng (40 percent), followed by KZN (15 per- cent) and the Eastern and Western Cape (both 9 percent).

Handheld skimming is still a threat, and was a major contributor to counterfeit card fraud. From 2005 to September this year, 1 377 handheld skimming devices were recovered by either the SAPS or bank investigators, with 74 of these seized between January and September.

Of these, 38 were recovered in Gauteng, 13 in KZN, and nine in the Western Cape.

Cards can be skimmed at ATMs or at points of sale, so don’t let your card out of your sight when transacting.

Lost and/or stolen credit card fraud grew by 64 percent from R31.7m last year to R52.2m this.

Sabric urged consumers to do the following to prevent becoming a victim of card fraud:

Don’t use a faulty ATM. Cancel the transaction at once and report the fault to your bank.

Be wary of strangers offer- ing help, as they could be trying to get your card and PIN.

If you are disturbed while transacting at the ATM, cancel the transaction immediately, as your card could be skimmed by being removed or put back into the ATM without your knowledge. Immediately report the incident using your bank’s “Stop Card” toll-free number, which is displayed on the ATM or on the back of your bank card. Opt for well-lit ATMs. If your card is retained, do not leave the ATM before you have cancelled it by calling your bank’s call centre.

Shield the hand that is typing your PIN.

Ensure the card you receive from the ATM is your own one.

Have different PINs for your different cards.

Never force your card into the ATM slot.

Don’t write your PIN on your card.