PHILIPSBURG–Windward Islands Bank (WIB) General Managing Director Derek Downes urged consumers on Tuesday to not ever give out their credit or debit card information to anyone over the phone.
He was responding at the time to an enquiry from this newspaper regarding a complaint from a consumer that was circulating via WhatsApp over the weekend. In the message, the consumer said he had received a call from someone who informed him that his card had been used for a purchase overseas to the tune of US $780 and gave him the name of someone else who purportedly used his card.
The consumer was asked if he had lost his card, to which he replied “no.” The consumer was then asked to get his card and was told that his card would be credited.
“I asked her what the last four digits of my card were. She didn’t answer, but asked, ‘Does your card start with 416?’ ‘No,’ I said. She then tried again with another number and again I said, ‘No.’ She asked, ‘What is it?’ I said, ‘You tell me,’ and she hung up.” The consumer said he had called a local bank (not WIB) which informed him that this was a scam and that the bank was aware of it. The consumer was worried that seniors would fall for the scam and end up losing money in the process.
The bank in question did not respond to queries on the matter on Tuesday, but WIB did respond.
“I am not aware of any of our clients receiving such calls. However, I saw the WhatsApp message with this issue. It’s indeed a scam. Bank customers should beware of anyone calling to ask for banking information over the phone. Don’t ever give out your credit or debit card number over the phone. The bank knows this information and would not need to ask you for it.
“Finally, never give out the security code (three-digit number) on the back of your credit card or your debit card PIN code to anyone over the phone either,” Downes advised.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/83080-downes-urges-consumers-not-to-give-out-card-info-over-telephone
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