Credit Card Fraud – Malware and Phishing – Beware!

Internet fraud is growing at a rate that is growing at an alarming level and will become an even bigger threat with the introduction of Chip and Pin.

Going online to purchases goods, thus using your credit card, is being seen by organised criminal gangs as the way to recoup the cash that they would normally been able to siphon from the old system of signing for purchases.

These gangs are hiring young computer experts who are looking for a fast and easy buck to live the lifestyle. This comes about with them using Malware, which is a software that will be automated to send out thousands of fake messages to obtain your card details, that looks as if it’s from your bank or card issuer.

These crooks are known as “Phishers” who will send out an e-mail that will look on the surface that it is from your bank, this e-mail will ask you for your Pin details and bank account numbers. Do not reply to this, because the first question you should ask yourself is, why is my bank asking for my details because they already have them? This is the first and only question that needs to be asked; as the answer is that the bank does already have your details and would never need to ask for them.

This message is a fake and with garbled speak such as, having to move your details to a different Website due to maintenance, is not normal bank wording, this is a fraud and if you do reply to this e-mail, then the crooks can then take stock of all your details and use them for fraudulent purposes. If you receive one of these messages the alarm bells going off in your head, should be giving you a headache.

With so many ways of obtaining your information, through Spyware that is a virus that is slipped into your computer that reads your Internet search patterns, which goes back to a foreign source who then sends you unwanted Spam mail. A Trojan horse is another one that will be put into your computer that can also check out your keystrokes, but with the Trojan horse you can still be hit with a virus even if you don’t open up the Spam e-mail that has been sent.

The best way to deal with this, is to make sure that your computer has a reliable anti-virus software such as Norton or Vet in your computer system to combat Spam e-mails from causing too much damage, a lot of banks make this a stipulation in the small print, to have this as protection.