Online payment methods are becoming increasingly popular in Brazil, especially credit cards. According to the Brazilian Association of Credit Card and Services Companies (Abecs), the value processed per card was R$ 2.65 trillion in 2021. This number represents an increase of 33.1% compared to 2020.
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Despite all the advantages of being able to make purchases with a credit card, the number of frauds and crimes involving this payment method is also increasing. Attempted financial scams increased by 100% in February compared to the previous month, according to cybersecurity firm Psafe.
What are the main credit card scams?
Although there are numerous credit card scams, in this article we will try to list the main crimes committed through this form of payment. The card swap scheme is one of the preferred methods among criminals. In these cases, scammers act as sellers of the business, distracting the victim into entering the password in the field to enter the purchase amount.
This way, the scammer remembers the victim's card number and exchanges it for another when the card is returned. To avoid this scam, it is important to always be careful when entering your password.
Another very sophisticated type of scam is the use of the telephone. In these cases, criminals approach the victim, who pretends to be a representative of the person's banking institution. Therefore, scammers claim that the victim's card has been cloned and ask the user to enter the card password.
As soon as the victim enters the credit card password, criminals announce that a supposed bank employee will pick up the card at home. To avoid this type of fraud, it is important to be careful when receiving calls from financial institutions and always make sure that this contact is through one of the company's official channels.
Scammers also take advantage of internet fraud
In addition to scams that involve stealing victims' physical cards, online crimes have also become popular in recent years. One of the most common scams are fake websites created by scammers. In these cases, victims end up filling out their personal data, such as: Ex: full name, documents and even credit card details.
One way to avoid this type of scam is to always be wary of websites that sell products at a much lower price than the market price. Therefore, it is important to know the page address and not click on unknown links.
