Be cautious with ATM cards when traveling and making payments

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ATM under surveillance

Card information stolen

This is absolutely not good at all. My advice to you is to choose reputable shopping addresses or withdraw cash and pay directly with cash.

ATM under surveillance

At ATM POS terminals, dishonest individuals may secretly install cameras, fake keyboards overlaid on the real ones, fake card readers attached to the ATM card reader to steal information from the magnetic stripe on your card without your knowledge, thereby obtaining your PIN code.

To ensure card transaction security, vigorously shake when inserting the card into the ATM machine to see if there is any 'foreign' device, and when entering the PIN, use the other hand to cover it immediately. Also, it is necessary to check the keyboard for any abnormalities before performing the transaction.

Card information stolen

Through acquaintances, Tran Cao Vu (from Binh Thuan province) and Nguyen Hong Anh (residing in District 4) jointly created and used the alias 'lambor' on the cardchua.biz forum. This forum was created by hackers to share, buy, sell, and exchange unauthorized information from other people's credit cards (commonly referred to as 'CC chua') for purposes such as purchasing plane tickets, buying electronic goods, etc., from websites that provide direct payment services on the internet, to embezzle money from credit card holders.

Scammers targeted Jetstar.com to purchase plane tickets using stolen credit card information from foreigners. Vu confessed to authorities: The illegal credit card information was obtained for free on the cardchua.biz forum by members of the forum posting on the website.

To exploit this information source, Vu used the alias 'lambor' to log in to the forum. After stealing information from the foreigner's credit card (including cardholder name, credit card number, card expiration date, card security code, ...),

With this scheme, from December 7, 2008, to August 12, 2010, Tran Cao Vu used illegally obtained information from foreign credit cards to purchase 46 Jetstar airline tickets, embezzling over 117 million VND. Investigative agencies stated that, not only did Vu purchase Jetstar airline tickets, from August 2009 to October 2010, Vu used illegally obtained information from other people's credit cards to purchase airline tickets from Vietnam Airlines, Tigers Airways, Lion Air, ... embezzling about 160 million VND.

Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigative Agency stated that, with the aforementioned fraudulent scheme, previously, the C50 Bureau had also collaborated with the PC46 of Ho Chi Minh City Police to dismantle a ring using illegally obtained information from foreign credit cards to purchase high-value electronic items such as: iPhones, iPads, various models of Apple Macbook Pro computers, ... in large quantities from foreign websites that allowed payment by credit card, then shipped the goods to Vietnam.

Before executing this fraudulent scheme, Nguyen Quoc Dat (27 years old, residing in Go Vap district) participated in a forum specializing in teaching hacking, stealing credit card information, ordering goods from abroad using credit card information, ...

After thoroughly studying the tricks, Dat hired some individuals who knew how to use illegally obtained information from foreign credit cards to make purchases. The method these individuals applied to order goods was to change the IP address of the connecting computer (as foreign websites do not accept credit card payments from IP addresses in Vietnam).

Thus, when accessing foreign websites to make purchases, the machine's IP address will be changed to a new IP address, and this foreign website will not detect the actual access address. Once logged into the website to make purchases, the individuals choose to pay once with a credit card for all selected items within a month because the success rate of this payment method is very high. When discovered, the value of the goods is the evidence seized by investigative agencies from Nguyen Quoc Dat, valued at over 1.1 billion VND.

If you are a cardholder, you may also have your information stolen as above if you transact through unreliable websites, dark web, pornographic websites,... Therefore, you should avoid accessing these websites to avoid losing money.

By Hoang Trung Comprehensive

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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook

MytourAugust 29, 2014

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Frequently Asked Questions

What precautions should I take when using an ATM for cash withdrawal?

When using an ATM, always inspect for foreign devices before inserting your card. Shake the card slot to check for hidden cameras or fake card readers, and cover the keypad with your hand while entering your PIN to prevent theft.

How can I protect my credit card information while shopping online?

To protect your credit card information online, avoid shopping on unreliable websites or forums known for illicit activities. Always choose reputable retailers and use secure payment methods to minimize the risk of your data being stolen.

Why is it important to be cautious when entering credit card details online?

Being cautious while entering credit card details online is crucial as many scams involve stealing this information through unsecured websites. Fraudsters can misuse your card data for unauthorized purchases, leading to significant financial losses.

What signs indicate that an ATM may be compromised?

Signs that an ATM may be compromised include unusual attachments near the card slot or keypad, scratches around the machine, or if the ATM is unusually positioned. Always trust your instincts and choose another machine if something seems off.

How have scammers exploited credit card information in recent years?

Scammers have exploited credit card information by participating in forums to buy and sell stolen data. They often use this information to make fraudulent purchases online, leading to significant financial loss for the original cardholders.