How to Protect Yourself From Debit Card Scams
Something the nation's millions of debit card owners do not want to hear is that debit card crimes are becoming more common and more serious. Both the Federal Trade Commission's OnGuard Online website and the FBI describe a number of ways that consumers can fall victim to debit card scams. However, they also provide countermeasures that will reduce the risks associated with owning debit cards.
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Instructions
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Review your bank account activity frequently to validate each entry. If you identify an inappropriate charge, request a refund as soon as possible from the company in question. It is this company, and not the bank, that should issue the refund. As soon as you discover an inappropriate charge, also contact the bank to provide assistance in resolving the issue. If the issue is not resolved by the offending company, the Better Business Bureau may also provide assistance. Victims of fraud should contact the Federal Trade Commission and victims of Internet crime should contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (see Resources).
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Do not respond to unsolicited emails, including those that instruct you to enter or verify debit card numbers or Social Security numbers. In addition, do not click on links contained within unsolicited emails. Instead, make contact with businesses online only if you initiate the contact. Ignore other requests for personal information whether or not the design of the website that issues the request mirrors that of a bank or other company with which you currently conduct business. The FBI suggests that you compare any link in an email with the link to which you are directed to confirm that they match and that the link leads to a legitimate site. Finally, verify the authenticity of requests for personal information by contacting the business directly.
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Use only bank ATMs, as federal law enforcement suggests that ATMs at convenience stores or other businesses may pose greater risk than bank ATMs. Withdrawing cash from a bank's ATM lessens the risk that a skimming device will be used to capture debit card numbers and passcodes. In addition, banks offer security in the form of surveillance cameras that can document withdrawals from your account as well as mirrors located near ATMs that can alert you of the approach of another individual who may "shoulder surf" in order to capture personal information.
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Transmit personal information, including debit card numbers, over the Internet only if you initiate the transaction. Even then, make sure you use a secure connection as indicated by a padlock icon located somewhere in the browser window that, when clicked on, displays details of the site's security. In addition, look for secure webpage addresses that begin with "https."
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Turn off computers when not in use. Doing so precludes access by hackers to data stored on the computers, including banking data.
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References
Resources
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