Most credit card cloning fraud is done through the use of skimmers. Skimmers read credit card information such as numbers, PINs, CVV data through the magnetic stripe, and can be attached to hardware such as point of sale (POS) terminals, or ATMs, allowing them to steal whoever uses that hardware's information.
How did my debit card get cloned?
A common way cards can be cloned is through the use of a card skimmer. A card skimmer is most often placed on ATM card slots, but criminals have been known to put them on any machine that accepts debit and credit cards, such as ticket machines at the train station.
How can I prevent my card from being cloned?
- Use a credit card where you can.
- Sign on the back of the card.
- Invest in a card-guard.
- Don't share your pin.
- Check an ATM before you use it.
- Don't store your card information on your phone.
- Set up a two-step authentication for online transactions.
Can ATMs detect cloned cards?
Using a small device, known as a skimmer, criminals scan-rig an ATM machine key pad to steal a persons card and pin number when one makes a transaction. “So, when the suspects went to use the cloned cards in our ATMs, our ATMs locked those cards in the machines to prevent more fraudulent activity from occurring.”
What happens when someone clones your card?
Credit card cloning refers to making an unauthorized copy of a credit card. This practice is also sometimes called skimming. Thieves copy information at a credit card terminal using an electronic device and transfer the data from the stolen card to a new card or rewrite an existing card with the information.
Are cards traceable?
In general, it is very difficult for gift cards to be traced. A main component of gift cards is that they are not attached to an individual or an account, so there is no personal information linked to them. Even if you use a credit card to purchase the gift card, this does not mean that the stolen funds can be traced.
Can a cloned card be traced?
But new research suggests retailers and ATM operators could reliably detect counterfeit cards using a simple technology that flags cards which appear to have been altered by such tools. A gift card purchased at retail with an unmasked PIN hidden behind a paper sleeve.