Scam: "We stopped an unusual VISA Charge" Phone Call scam

Dave Neighbourly Lead from Kelvin Grove

Hi everyone! Email, Text, and phonecall scams are now common, usually a fake computer company/internet company call claiming you have a virus, and of course, ALL are scams, no exception.

So it's worth warning people when one that's a bit different turns up.

Today I received a fake VISA card phonecall scam, I haven't had one of those in ages. So some international scammer is trying it on again, and most people in NZ can probably expect to get a call like this sooner or later before they are stopped, or move on to target another country.

If you don't want to read further, here is the short answer:
IT'S ALWAYS (AND I MEAN ALWAYS!!) A SCAM.

If there is an issue with a credit card transaction, You call your own bank yourself when an expected payment doesn't go through.
You do not call VISA directly, and they don't call you directly.

If there is suspicious payment lodged, the credit card company or bank simply suspend it. If you are a business and the sum is large, an account manager from your bank may get in contact but this is easily verified by asking their name and section, and that you will hang up and then call the bank yourself, via their number in the phone book, to get back in touch with an account manager.

Ok, about today's scam call. It started with an almost believable high quality recorded message but if you have caller ID on your house phone, you can see that the number is clearly an international one, which is the first hint that it's most likely a scam.
(Note: not always the case: some scammers go the extra mile to fake a Caller ID that matches the expected range of the country they are targeting). This caller ID was 0190019161583230, clearly not within NZ.

The fake call is automated to start with - a prerecorded, english-speaking professional sounding voice says that it is VISA calling, and they have intercepted some suspicious transactions on your visa account, being Amazon and iTunes Gift Card purchases for several hundred dollars, and that they have stopped the transactions as you have not made a purchase from these sites before.

- To someone not used to phone scams, especially older folk, this may sound genuine - it's almost plausible, given that criminals do make online purchases using stolen credit card numbers.

The main thing that you should ask yourself is: why is "VISA" contacting you on your home phone number? instead of your local Bank? and the automated system does not ask for any proof that you are the card holder (amongst any of several people who may be living in the house?) able to make a decision to "reject or accept" charges? No name or account number is mentioned in this automated section, yet they tell you of two supposed specific charges on your account.

The voice then offers you two choices - to reject or accept the purchases (and by now, the worried victim would normally reject them).
Having "taken the bait", the system then says it will switch you to "an operator" and we are off! It bumps through two or more call system handovers, until you get a typical Indian sub-continent call centre, where the operator pauses to check their screen about which scam they are answering, before saying "VISA here, how may I help you" which no-one in a real VISA help desk would say.

I then asked politely if he could prove that he really was VISA and this was not a scam. He hung up after saying that if I "think it is a scam then he will not waste his time with me" (gosh, so genuine! HAHA)
(Note: some call centres have a script prepared to answer this question, so don't be fooled, IT'S ALWAYS A SCAM).

Final Note: Best option is to hang up immediately. Remember, IT'S ALWAYS A SCAM.
But if you are like me, and curious to check out which sort of scam it is this time (and tie up an operator for a while, reducing the number of people they'll scam that day) you should always be polite - you'll get further stilted responses trying to get your details or to log onto a website somewhere, and if you are careful not to reveal ANY of your true name or details, you can string them along with fake details for a while before they twig that you are baiting them!

It does no good to you and your blood pressure to abuse the operator, as they are usually working for $1/hour for nasty bosses in call centre sweatshops, and will either hang up straight away, or occasionally, lose their rag and abuse you back!

STAY SAFE EVERYONE!