Fraudulent schemes using bank customer service representatives are becoming increasingly common. Various methods are employed to trick victims into providing confidential personal information. One such method is to claim that a customer's credit card has been used or hacked by an unauthorized party.
This excuse is intended to convince potential victims to follow the criminal's instructions. However, you need to be wary of this tactic. Criminals have their own methods for posing as bank customer service.
Chronology of the Fraud
Criminals attempt to imitate all the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of bank Customer Service (CS) officers. Here's a chronology of what fake CS officers typically do to deceive victims.
1. Use Professional Language
It used to be easy to distinguish between real and fake bank officers by the way the spoke. However, many criminals are now highly skilled at introducing themselves as bank customer service representatives and using formal, professional language to carry out their operations, leaving victims without the slightest suspicion.
2. Provide Clear Information
Fraudsters posing as bank customer service representatives can now pretend to provide clear information about credit cards. They can explain how customers' credit cards have been misused. If they're not careful, victims can be misled by the information they provide.
The perpetrator informed the victim that the hacker had used the victim's credit card to purchase gaming vouchers at several online stores. He also informed them that the victim's credit card was connected to the hacker's phone number and email address, sending transaction notifications to the hacker. Hearing this, the victim undoubtedly panicked.
3. As if not Asking for Personal Data
The perpetrator advised the victim to block the card. To avoid suspicion, the perpetrator did not force the victim to ask for any personal information.
The victim knows that the bank nevers asks for personal data from customers and this method is also used by criminals to gain the victim's trust.
4. Request to Block Yourself Through a Link
What makes it even more believable is the advice for victims to block themselves. Criminals no longer offer assistance in unblocking their victims. They ask victims to do so themselves by providing a link to an e-form sent via WhatsApp or email for them to fill out.
This is where the fraud and data theft begins. Victims are asked to fill in their credit card details on an e-form sent via email, including the credit card number, expiration date, and the CVV code found on the back of the card.
Tips to Avoid Fraud
Although the perpetrators are increasingly difficult to identify, there are still ways to avoid this type of fraud. Here are the steps to take to prevent credit card blocking fraud.
1. Don't Panic
The information that your credit card has been used by another party is a social engineering technique. The victim will be panicked and worried, which the criminals exploit to continue their activities. However, their strategy won't work if you remain calm in responding to the information provided by the fake customer service representative.
2. Get to Know the Offical Halo BCA Number
The next step is to check the contact number or account used by the criminal. Criminals tend to use the BCA logo to carry out their crimes.
Know the important Halo BCA numbers: Call 1500888, or call BCA Bank WhatsApp at 0811-1500-998. Also, if the number is unclear, just give it NO!
3. Do Not Click on Any Links
Bank Customer Service never asks for any personal information from its customers, including through link to form to fill in confidential banking information. If anyone provides a link, simply ignore it and don't click on it.
4. Block via the Official BCA Application
You can block your credit card yourself through the BCA mobile app or myBCA. Alternatively, you can contact Halo BCA at 1500888 or use the HaloBCA app to block your credit card.
5. Always Protect Personal Data
It's crucial to safeguard personal information related to your bank account at all times. You should never share it with anyone, whether by phone, email, or through a website form, for any reason. Your personal data could be misused if it falls into the wrong hands.
That’s how to avoid scams that ask you to block your credit card. Share this information with others so we can all be protected from this type of fraud.
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