This scam is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was called on Thursday from "Master Card".

The scam works like this: Person calling says, "This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm

calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona?" When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?"

You say "yes". The caller continues - "I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says, "I need to verify you are in

possession of your card". He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers". ; There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers' that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?" After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, "Don't hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA S ecurity Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15

minutes a new pur chase of $497.99 was charged to our card.

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficul t to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a "Jason Richardson of Master Card" with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up!

We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening.

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How They Attack (Phishing):
Phishing is essentially an online con game and phishers are nothing more than tech-savvy con artists and identify thieves. They use SPAM, malicious Web sites, email messages and instant messages to trick people into divulging sensitive information, such as bank and credit card accounts.

How Do You:
Known Phishers, pretending to be legitimate companies, may use email to request personal information and direct recipients to respond through malicious web sites.
Phishers tend to use emotional language using scare tactics or urgent requests to entice recipients to respond.
The phish sites can look remarkably like legitimate sites because they tend to use the copyrighted images from legitimate sites.
Requests for confidential information via email or Instant Message tend to not be legitimate.
Fraudulent messages are often not personalized and may share similar properties like details in the header and footer.

We support Macafee and Symantec Anti-Virus solutions. Prevention is one of the the keys to keep your PC fast and safe.

How They Attack (SPAM):
Email SPAM is the electronic version of junk mail. It involves sending unwanted messages, often unsolicited advertising, to a large number of recipients. SPAM is a serious security concern as it can be used to deliver Trojan horses, viruses, worms, spy ware, and targeted phishing attacks.

How Do You Know:
Messages that do not include your email address in the TO: or CC: fields are common forms of SPAM
Some SPAM can contain offensive language or links to Web sites with inappropriate content

What To Do:
Install SPAM filtering/blocking software
If you suspect an email is SPAM, do not respond, just delete it
Consider disabling the email’s preview pane and reading emails in plain text
Reject all Instant Messages from persons who are not on your Buddy list
Do not click on URL links within IM unless from a known source and expected
Keep software and security patches up to date