He Bank of Spain wanted to issue a warning about what to do when paying by credit card in the face of the increase in scams. Tactics like phishing (fishing in English) continues to be a trend among criminals and therefore citizens must be extremely careful with links, payments to third parties and even when withdrawing money from a bank terminal. For this reason the Bank of Spain put the population on alert through a press release.
A lot pirates They continue to make fortunes at the expense of people whose criminal activities involve impersonating an organization or company so that they can access their victims’ bank details and empty their bank accounts in just seconds. This is the tactic called phishing which uses a link in a text message or email as bait and, if clicked, can be an open door to access people’s banking details.
Another of the most used tactics by pirates is he skimming (navigation in English) which uses the devices called skimmers to be able to access customer data. The center of operations of this strategy is in bank ATMs, where tools such as card readers, cameras or portable keyboards are placed to try to access customers’ personal data and empty the account by a few minutes.
The Bank of Spain and payment by credit card
Other modus operandi When it comes to scams, it’s about Point of sale terminalsclassic dataphones with which you pay with your credit card in restaurants, stores or other establishments. One of the tactics of hackers is to introduce a malicious virus called malware in these POS terminals to collect all the information on the cards that have passed through this terminal. Therefore, the Bank of Spain I wanted to send a notice on what you should do when paying by card with one of these instruments.
Therefore, since the Bank of Spain They advise to always answer “yes” when the establishment in question asks you if “would you like a copy of the ticket?” Having a receipt of the payment made can save you from problems in the future since all the details of the transaction as well as the time appear on this paper. So, in case of unexpected costs, you can make the corresponding claim with this document.
In order to avoid any misfortune, when paying you should also check if the correct amount is charged and then check the data that appears on the ticket with all kinds of details. This can prove providential when it comes to being the victim of an alleged scam that can lead to your accounts being emptied in a matter of minutes.
In this regard, the Bank of Spain It also reports that in many payments under 50 euros the PIN is not requested and this is where the majority of payment errors are found. When it comes to losing a card and not blocking it in time, banks initially begin to cover expenses from this amount. Although in the event of a theft with these characteristics, banking entities generally face the entire amount stolen.
Tips if you are scammed
If you have been scammed online or have clicked on one of the scam bait links, it is best to contact your bank immediately so that all accounts can be blocked. This must be done immediately to prevent criminals from accessing your data with the aim of taking money.
Secondly, you will also need to file the corresponding complaint with the state security forces and agencies. All with the aim of tracking down the many criminals who are taking advantage of the rise of new technologies and the fear of certain population groups to make their fortune.
