Do you know frausters are everywhere? They are in the markets,airports,offices and to crown it all, many are enemies of bank users. In the past, we had series of fraudulent activities such as stolen of ATM cards, using certain fraudulent tricks to break some banks databases and other forms of fraudulent means to steal people's hard earned money from their bank accounts.
However, there is a new dubious means employing by these thieves in which they steal your cash through the process called skimming (skimmer).I know my readers would want to ask for the meaning surrounding the term.Skimming, although it is not that common in Nigeria but we have to create awareness before it becomes rampant in our society.There were confirmed cases of skimming in Nigeria but mentioning names may be malicious and dangerous.
Skimming is the stolen of information used in an otherwise a normal transaction.What they do to purchase your card number using basic fraudulent methods such as making photostat-copy of your receipts or other advance methods such as using a small electronic device(skimmer) to swipe and store thousands of victims' ATM card numbers.
COMMON PLACES FOR SKIMMING
Common places where skimming do happen are ATM stands,restaurants or bars where the skimmer has possession of the victim's payment card out of their immediate view. The thief may also use a small keypad to unobtrusively transcribe the three or four-digit card security code, which is not present on the magnetic strip.
HOW YOU CAN PREVENT SKIMMING
1. Reporting lost or stolen ATM cards immediately you notice that
2. Reviewing charges regularly and reporting unofficial transactions immediately to your account officer
3. Ensure installation of virus protection software on personal computers or phones
4. Using caution when using ATM cards for online purchases, especially on non-trusted sites
5. Keeping a record of account numbers, their expiration dates, and the phone number and address of your business in a secure place.
6. Not sending credit card information by unencrypted email
7. Not keeping written PIN numbers with the your ATM card
Please be your brothers' keeper, forward this security information to people out there.
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