A Kingston-based university lecturer is warning fellow credit-card holders of possible fraud, after his credit information was cloned and his card 'maxed-out'.

The lecturer, who teaches at one of Jamaica's leading tertiary institutions, said he became aware that there was a problem when he received a call from his bank informing him that his card had reached its limit.

It was discovered that several transactions were made on the card, amounting to about $250,000.

"I feel violated and helpless," he told The Gleaner. "I feel like I have been robbed and there is nothing I can do about it."

Purchases made overseas

The lecturer, who requested that his name not be published, said he became concerned that the breach might have been made locally and began conducting his own investigations. However, after discovering the jurisdictions where the purchases were made, he realised it might have been done overseas.

The bank has traced two of the purchases to New York in the United States and the remainder to the Asian province of Taiwan.

Luckily for him, he was not held liable for the charges. "The account was closed and I was issued a new account number and card," he informed.

Just last month, it was reported in the foreign press that a US-based company that processes credit-card transactions for more than 250,000 businesses had uncovered a massive security breach.

The New Jersey-based company, Heartland Payment Systems, disclosed a data breach, which could potentially expose tens of millions of credit- and debit-card holders to the risk of fraud.

Jamaica's Fraud Squad also recently revealed that credit-card fraud was fast becoming a major problem, with at least J$1.2 million stolen last year. The police, however, said this figure might be understated, as the cases were reported to the police only when the banks refused to settle.

Increase in fraud

Local banks have also, in recent months, noted a significant increase in both credit- and debit-card fraud and are advising customers to be wary of possible scams.

The scams range from the simple and unsophisticated, to very organised and complex. For example, persons will tamper with ATMs to make it difficult for customers to insert their cards. The culprits will then accompany unsuspecting persons into the ATM outlet, supposedly to offer assistance, thereby ascertaining the individual's PIN number.

Other, more organised methods include the installation of micro-cameras, scanners and card-reading systems in ATM units, which may not be noticed easily. Customers' PIN numbers and electromagnetic data are then delivered electronically to fraudsters close by.

To report suspected cases of fraud, call the Fraud Squad at 922-2374.

athaliah.reynolds@gleanerjm.com

Protecting yourself from card fraud

Shield your PIN from onlookers when conducting transactions at an ATM or point-of-sale.

Never let your convenience card out of your sight when conducting a debit transaction at the point of sale.

Regularly check your statements or passbooks to verify that all transactions have been properly documented.

Observe ATM units very closely for any strange devices.

If your debit or credit card is lost, stolen or retained by a bank machine, notify your bank immediately.

Your card and PIN are the keys to your account(s). Never disclose your PIN to anyone, or you could be liable for loss.

Memorise your PIN. If you suspect that someone knows your PIN, change it immediately.

Request that merchants locate swipe machines in spots that respect your privacy and adequately sensitise their staff to observe such privacy.