This Is What You Should Know When Paying With Your Credit Card
By Timfly
Credit cards have made life very convenient for us, allowing us to pay for things instantly without having to carry around cash all the time. Unfortunately, thieves have caught up with the times and there are plenty of ways to steal your information (and your money) using special devices known as skimmers.
A credit card manufacturer called Ingenico recently created a handy guide on how to identify credit card skimmers in standard (Ingenico iSC250) terminals. This is incredibly useful information that we felt everyone should have.
Skimming terminals are significantly larger than normal.
A skimmer is generally longer and wider than the terminal itself, which is the easiest way to identify fraudulent devices.
No button lights.
A skimming device often blocks out the light that illuminates the buttons on the terminal.
Green LED light is blocked.
An attachable skimmer also blocks the green LED light that should be on when the terminal scans a card.
Frequent operation errors
Skimmers sometimes get in the way of the magnetic strip when they scan data. This results in more operation errors and significantly slows down the normal workings of the terminal. So pay attention if a terminal operates much slower than it should.
A stylus is not attached
All payment terminals have an attached stylus for clients to sign with after using their card. A skimmer, however, doesn't allow room for a stylus.
How to protect your money
The most effective way to protect yourself from fraud is by having a separate debit card that would only have the sum you need for a purchase at hand.
Connect to the SMS banking service to promptly react to unexpected debits.
Set limits and limit cash withdrawal amounts, and the criminals won’t be able to withdraw all your money at once.
If you have lost your card and you think someone may have learned its details, immediately call your bank and block it.
It’s also good to learn about card insurance capabilities and terms with your bank. Some credit organizations have special programs for protecting their clients from fraud and reimbursement of damages.
When you pay with your card in a store, make sure that the employees do not take it away from you. If you pay in a restaurant, don’t let the waiter take away the card — they can skim it discreetly. Demand that all the operations be carried out in your presence.
Read the receipts carefully after paying with your card. The field with the paid amount must not be empty.
image sources: .myhighplains / mic.com
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