Cases of debit card cloning in Italy are still quite frequent. Let’s see how they happen and what countermeasures to take to avoid the scam
We often hear about duplication of debit and cash cards. Despite the multiple security systems in force, it is not possible to deal with them. A shady attitude that brings i scammers to illegally seize the data necessary for copy the card complete with pin code for access.
With this trick they are able to withdraw at the counters and make purchases both in physical stores and online. All this naturally happens without the knowledge of the poor victims who find themselves with the account drained.
As a result of this, it is good to understand how this scam happens, so that you can take the right precautions and avoid ending up in this network with no way out. The most used method for cloning cards is tampering with the ATM where the withdrawal is made.
Debit card cloning: how you can protect yourself from scam
A magnetic reader, better known as a skimmer, is used to read the data, which records the magnetic stripe data of one’s debit card on an internal memory. At a later stage, the scammers use a PC to transcribe the information obtained on an inactive card, but which has the same characteristics.
To steal the Pin, on the other hand, a micro-camera is used to take back the numeric keypad of the door. Alternatively, a keyboard to be superimposed on the original one is used, capable of recording the codes entered.
The first step to take when you realize you have been scammed in this way is to immediately block your card. The next one is to request a refund from the bank which will return the stolen sum after having ascertained the situation through careful checks.
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So, if prevention is better than cure, keep your eyes peeled when taking blood samples. If you notice that the door shows some tampering, it is better not to withdraw. Same speech for the ATMs located in disparate and less frequented areas (which are now decreasing more and more).
When typing the Pin it is good practice to cover the numeric keypad with your hand. Other precautions to be taken include enabling sms notifications (with which it is possible to be updated on every movement), replace the debit card if it is old and does not have an electronic chip (harder to clone) and keep the receipts of the purchases made with the card or the ATM and make the bank statement often, so as to have an overview of their expenses.
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