Con Artists and Scams

Credit card number stealing scam

West Australian police are investigating an increasingly popular scam in which people steal the credit-card numbers from documents and receipts.

Police said thieves are raiding rubbish bins behind banks and chemists, looking for paperwork containing details of credit cards.

The thieves then make a phone call to a store quoting the number and expiry date of the card. They tell the store they are calling from another state and indicate a relative is living destitute and need to purchase some gifts or credit for them.

The store then verifies the validity of the card, and as the actual owner has the card it is approved.

The caller then goes to the shop and purchases goods with vouchers or credit.

Sgt Don Heise said prime targets for the thieves had been outlets like Target, Kmart, Cash Converters and Toyworld. Jewellery and grocery stores had also been targeted.

In late July 2000 police said 23 WA credit card holders had been stung by the scam, with the number on the rise.

A woman, 30-year-old Tamera Cheri Knight, was convicted in Perth Magistrate`s Court on 27 counts of fraud.

In February 2000, a 38-year-old man was extradited from WA to New South Wales to face charges relating to a sophisticated credit card fraud worth in the vicinity of $50 million.

New technology has recently been installed by American Express, Visa, Mastercard and some Australian banks in a bid to fight illegal credit card use.

The new system is focussed on counterfeit cards, of which a large number are expected to be brought in the country during the Olympics.
If you have any information on this matter, please email us at scams@crimenet.com.au.