Beware of this new type of contactless card fraud
Criminals are now carrying scanners in an attempt to steal money from contactless cards without you even realising.
People who have contactless debit and credit cards are being told to be vigilant in crowded public places as scammers are now carrying point of sale scanners to try and steal money from them.
If you keep your card somewhere conspicuous like your back pocket you're likely to be most at risk. All a thief needs to do is enter an amount under £30 and hold the machine near the card to take the cash.
Caught in the act
Facebook user Paul Jarvis posted a picture of a scammer employing this tactic, saying: “So this guy was spotted wandering round with a Point of Sale (POS) device. All he has to do is key in a price less than £30 and then touch the device on the pocket that contains your wallet.”
The post, which has now been taken down, was shared thousands of times.
Jarvis explained how easy it is for your money to get stolen by using the Near Field Communication (NFC) function on his mobile phone:
“I’ve actually shown people this using the NFC function on my mobile to read their card data through their wallet to freak them out but this is the first time I’ve seen someone doing it for real. Time to invest in a screened wallet I guess…”
It’s easy enough to get hold of a machine: a quick Google search for ‘buy point of sale terminal’ brings up more than 39 million results, the first two from eBay. Hacker forums also reportedly sell customised versions of shop POS terminals designed to clone people’s cards.
There are plenty of targets for the scammers too. Spending on contactless has increased almost fourfold since the beginning of 2015 according to Richard Koch, Head of Policy at the UK Cards Association.
[Related story: Banks and retailers hitting us with credit card fee cap]
How you can protect your card
Which? advises contactless card users to wrap their wallet or card in tin foil as the foil deflects the reader and shields the card, even when they’re in close range.
Metal cardholders and lined wallets are available from retailers if you want something a bit sturdier.
All that said, the best piece of advice we could give you is to keep your purse or wallet in a separate bag and keep it out of sight at all times.
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