,WFLA) – the Better Business Bureau is warning tap-to-pay Users of a new scheme that may make simple transactions costly.
“Ghost Tapping” There’s a growing scheme targeting tap-to-pay cards mobile wallet,
BBB says criminals are using wireless devices to steal money without touching you Credit or debit card,
According to the bureau, miscreants will try to trick unsuspecting persons in public places in the following ways:
- Bumping into you while surreptitiously charging your tap-enabled card or mobile wallet.
- Pretending to be a vendor at events, flea markets or festivals. Fraudsters may set up fake stands and ask for tap payments.
- Requesting a small donation but actually charging your card a very large amount.
- Speed up the process. Scammers rely on your tapping without checking the name of the business or the amount of the transaction.
Fraudsters may also make smaller withdrawals to avoid triggering fraud detection systems.
The BBB said it has received multiple reports of this scheme.
One person shared the following experience “BBB Scam Tracker”: “A person is going from house to house [location redacted] Claiming to be selling chocolates on behalf of [redacted] Supporting students with special needs. They say they can only accept tap-to-pay for people to make card payments. After this, he charges a huge amount on the card without even seeing the amount from the cardholder. He got my mom for $537…another victim for $1100. …He changes neighborhoods frequently to avoid getting caught.
If you fall victim to a tap-to-pay scheme, the BBB said you should immediately report the transaction to your bank or card issuer, freeze or cancel the affected card, and report it to a “scam tracker.”
