Online credit card fraud is rife with cloned websites and bogus emails intentionally trying to gain access to encrypted information and bank details. In the majority of fraud cases the money is returned to the victim, although it can take some time to process. Anyone who believes they are wrongly accused of fraud is advised to seek advice from criminal defence solicitors. There are many ways in which a fraudulent attempt can be detected, reducing the access gained to thieves.
Phishing Emails
Emails which claim they are from a bank should always be treated with suspicion. If the email requires you to enter any details of your bank account then it’s a bogus email. Banks will never ask you to provide details of your username, password or account information. Phishing emails often indicate some form of urgency, such as implying your account will be deleted if the information isn’t provided. This causes people to panic and input their details for fear of losing their account. If you receive an email which raises cause for concern, visit the legitimate website of the bank and contact them. This can also help to raise awareness of current scams to banks.
Some phishing emails include an attached file which recipients are advised to download to update an account. If the email looks suspicious then avoid downloading the attachment as it’s probably a virus which could harm your computer. If you’re worried about your account with a certain company then contact them via their contact details on the legitimate website rather than following the instructions in the email.
Pharming websites
Some fraudsters create fake websites which mimic popular banking or shopping websites so customers will order from them and the webmaster will then have their payment details, this is known as pharming. Pharming websites are quite easy to identify as they often lack the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) which shows a padlock symbol to indicate security.
Avoid providing details to sites which lack the SSL symbol as they’re most likely bogus websites. Some pharming websites may ask for more details than usually required to make a payment. The site may also look slightly different to the legitimate one.
Preventing Credit Card Fraud
There are additional ways to prevent being scammed as well as being knowledgeable of bogus techniques.
- Install protection for your computer. Firewalls and anti-virus software can prevent harmful internet hackers from accessing private information.
- Always log out of accounts which hold your personal information and account information. Avoid logging in to bank accounts on shared computers where possible and never save login information.
- After purchasing online save confirmation emails and order numbers as receipts.
Although fraudsters will always exist online, it’s important that people who use online banking and shopping are aware of the techniques used by scammers to access personal information. In most cases, if the email or website doesn’t seem quite right it’s probably a fake.