MasterCard/Visa Promotion Fraud Attempt

What great way to start 2008 with a pile of money obtained from other people’s credit cards? I am writing to share my experience today.

I am lucky I am not that stupid although I didn’t realize an obvious bit earlier during the call. By the way the call came is as “Private”

Caller:	Is this Mr. Ady Romantika?
Me:	Speaking.
Caller:	My name is XXXX from MasterCard and Visa customer support. You have been selected to receive a discount card for purchases using your MasterCard and Visa. You will receive up to 30% of discount. The reason we do this is to help make sure our good customers will not be burdened by credit card debts.
Me:	I am lucky so please send the discount card to my house. What do you need?
Caller:	We need to verify your details
Me:	OK, shoot.
Caller:	Which bank’s credit card do you use? (At this point I started to be suspicious)
Me:	Bank A, Bank B, and Bank C
Caller:	Can you give me the expiry dates of each card?
Me:	XXYY, XXYY, XXYY (I was dumb)
Caller:	OK can you tell me each card is Visa or MasterCard?
Me:	MasterCard, Visa, MasterCard.
Caller:	OK. For the Bank B card, it starts with XXXX right?
Me:	Yes.
Caller:	The next number is Y, right? What’s the next number, A or B?
Me:	A (I know, dumb again)
Caller:	And then? (At this moment I know she is going to ask me the whole credit card number)
Me:	Right, so I can’t even authenticate you and you expect me to give me my whole credit card number. Next you’re going to ask me my 3 digit CV2 code?
… She hung up …

You see, even though the caller did know the first digit of my credit card number it does not prove anything. The prefix number of Visa is always 4, and the next 4 digits is assigned to the financial institution issuing the card. It’s no mystery.

In this case I should have realized that she is a fraud when she said she’s from Visa & MasterCard customer support. Those 2 are different organizations, so it’s not logical they share the same customer support.

Notice how she tried to be as technical, procedural, and as patient as possible to get me convinced.

I hope that I didn’t go too far by providing bank names and expiry dates! If anyone from Maxis (my provider) is reading this and is interested to track the call (if possible) I am more than willing to help. Maybe in the telco side private numbers are recorded? And since all phones should be registered it should not be that difficult to lodge a police report?

This kind of people deserves to be awarded some free years at the “big mansion”. Be careful people!!!