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Cases of thefts of valuable credit card information, suspected as skimming, could be something else involving some high tech tricks. Skimming involves replacing the card readers at cash registers with counterfeit or fake readers that will steal the credit card information of the customers. However, investigators said that the scammers, reportedly used devices called sniffers or other types of malware in order to intercept the information of the customer’s card between the point of sale device and the payment processing company.
This special software has been found targeting the businesses whose computer networks are vulnerable. According to security experts, those merchants with insufficient protection through anti-virus are totally unaware that there are cyber thieves looking for precious credit card information. Cyber thieves have in 2006, used the sniffer software to target the parent company of Marshall’s and TJ Maxx. This had led to compromising of an unbelievable 94 million accounts. All this information represents massive wealth of credit card details which the cyber thieves can use for fraud transactions online. Credit card customers wouldn’t even be aware of these scams until they find them on the monthly report. These frauds are leading to massive losses in revenue for the credit card issuers.
In the latest case in Seattle, investigators from the police and Secret Service said that they have found various points of compromise. The businesses which were involved have currently upgraded their protection through anti-virus software to ensure that these frauds do not continue in the future. Meanwhile the Electronic Crimes Task Force is taking the leads to follow the suspects. Those customers who have recently used credit cards in the neighborhood of Capitol Hill are better off monitoring the expenses on their bank and credit card accounts. The secret service has asked credit card customers to report immediately to the credit card issuer and banks if they identify suspicious activity on their credit cards. They should also file report with the Police Department of Seattle for future investigations.
These fraudulent transactions have been reported in 6 states in the country and also in Europe. According to the estimation of the investigators, this fraud doesn’t seem to be restricted to the state of Seattle alone. This year has witnessed a lot of similar cases, where credit card information has been stolen by sniffers. The stolen card information is tested by scammers through small purchases followed by bigger charges. The information is also stolen to scammers across the country and the world.
