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Published On: Mon, Nov 26th, 2018

Beware: Bank card scammers on the loose

Creditcard Scam Alert - Seniors Beware

PHILIPSBURG — Several residents have reported that they were questioned by some unknown persons posing as bank officials and asking about the status of their accounts. According to a resident of St. Peters he received a call from a source telling him if he had used his card to purchase overseas at an amount of US$ 780.

He was then asked if he had lost his card and after he responded that he had the card, she instructed him to get the card. She then told him the same story again about the overseas purchase and he will have to pay for the items since it was his card that bought it.

He then asked her for the last four digits of his card she did not answer but asked if the first four digits of his card began with 416. He told her that it was not his card number. When he answered in the negative she boldly asked him to tell her the number on the card. He in response said that if his card was used in the purchase she should have it.

That brought the conversation to a close and she hung up. He later called his bankers and after relating the incident, they informed him that there was a scam going on and they were aware of it. He has expressed his concern about the incident and warned persons not to be goofed with persons calling and asking about their card and the number.

However, speaking to another bank employee she said that this always happens during the Christmas season on the island and as a result persons should be aware of it.

In another incident where something similar happened to another local resident he is of the opinion that there are what he described as a “wave of east Europeans” who have arrived on the island for this season and are experts in scamming and identity theft. “This is not a joke, people need to be aware and be watchful,” he said.