Card Credit Fraud Identity Theft! Are You Next?

The card credit fraud identity theft is a booming business. Recently, a very high-tech ring of criminals gathered credit card numbers online from data thieves, spreading out the numbers across the country for a million dollar shopping spree at Apple stores using the social media to brag about everything they did.

• To learn more go to, credit card scams to educate yourself on other ways you can be scammed.

This was such a successful scam that one member of the group branched out on his own to start a syndicate.

While the original ringleader was in jail he kept the scheme going by teaching his girlfriend the ropes while he was in jail.

Twenty seven suspects were arrested, with more to be expected. In many ways this was a “family affair”, as many of the members were related.

Underground websites were used to buy the stolen account numbers.

The data was stored in shared e-mail accounts and then phony Visa and MasterCard cards were printed in the name of the shopper, using commercially available equipment intended for businesses that create magnetic keycards, etc.

These shoppers would then use these cards all over the nation, in small towns as well as large.

The card credit fraud identity theft criminals charged products in one store worth more than $3,000.00. Some transactions were as small as $54.00.

• Credit card identity theft happens to over 10 million Americans annually, and is critically on the rise every year.

Card Credit Fraud Identity Theft: What To Be Aware Of!

• Not only is your financial welfare at risk, but so is your business, medical and credit cards, and credit ratings in serious jeopardy.

• Many times you can become a victim of credit card fraud identity theft and not even realize it happened to you until it’s too late.

• You can do things to protect yourself such as; throwing out your trash without first shredding all your personal documents and anything with your name, address, account numbers, and any other personal information on it, which makes you vulnerable for identity theft.

• This leaves you open to dumpster-diving, which has become a very common occurrence in this day and age.

• Make sure you look over all your credit card statements very carefully each month, or most every day if banking online, for any charges that are on your statement but not made by you.

I had this happen to me, and although the bank credited my account with the amount in question, it took 3 MONTHS for the business where this amount was illegally charged to get back to my bank with a specific answer.

My money was tied up for 3 months because of this theft. I didn’t want to spend the money from my account on something that was a “maybe”.

Card Credit Fraud Identity Theft: Skimming

• Skimming is another scam that occurs all too often. Skimming happens when your credit card information is captured illegitimately. See stolen credit card for more information to help protect you against identity theft.

• Skimming happens at ATMs and when pumping gas. Special equipment is installed on these machines, but is not visible to the naked eye. A couple of years ago I found out my bank (not my branch, thank goodness) had found these installed on some of their ATMs.

• The Skimmer will make 2 copies of your credit card information. One copy is downloaded by the thief and one copy is to process the transaction for you.

• This particular scam has grossed over $3 million just for skimmers being on gas pumps, and has become an extremely lucrative money making proposition for these thieves.

Card Credit Fraud Identity Theft

The Social Networks have become extremely popular, not only with kids, but adults as well, and are a perfect haven for the criminal whose sole purpose is identity theft.

• A recent survey showed that 1 in 5 users have been affected by abuse because of social networking.

• Social networking is fun and helps us keep in touch with our friends, family, and people we work with, but is a gold mine for identity theft.

• Pretexting is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses to commit identity theft.

• Criminals look at your profile pages not only to gain the basic information, but many times are able to gain even more personal information because the kids or adult that controls the web page puts way too much personal information on their site.

• Many times your birth date, social security number, phone, address, employer and other personal data is given and is a field day for the thief.

  This can lead not only to identity theft, but many more serious crimes, especially where children are concerned.

• Be aware! DO NOT put your personal pictures and information on the web to be exploited by thieves.

Card credit fraud identity theft is hazardous to you health, pocket book, and everything you own, so protect yourself and become knowledgeable to the many ways identity theft can happen to you.

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