New Brunswick RCMP are investigating a number of reports of credit card fraud against businesses in the Acadian Peninsula.
According to the Mounties, most of the incidents involved someone calling local businesses to order big-ticket items such as generators, tires and rims, snow blowers and wood splitters.
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The caller provides the business with a credit card number and says that someone will pick up the items, or asks the business to have the items delivered. It’s only when the transaction is completed that the businesses are informed by the credit card company that the card was reported stolen and the transaction has been declined.
According to police, this leaves the businesses covering the loss of the sale.
Most of the transactions were reported to have taken place between Aug. 23, 2017 and September 26, 2017, in the communities of Grande-Anse, Caraquet and Tracadie, N.B.
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In order to avoid similar incidents, the RCMP have recommended these tips to business owners:
- Be cautious when making transactions with credit cards over the phone. Confirm the name, address and contact number of the person calling. Always ask for the three-digit security authorization number on the back of the credit card.
- When items ordered over the phone are being picked up or delivered to a customer, ask to see the credit card to confirm the information is correct.
- Use fraud detection tools such as the three-digit security authorization number on the reverse of the credit card within the signature panel. This will provide protection to the merchant in the event a compromised card number is used.
- Be aware of purchases where multiple cards are used from a single IP (Internet Protocol) address, or those where orders are charged to multiple cards but are shipped to the same address as these could signal fraudulent activity.
- Be alert for transactions with several of the following characteristics: first-time shopper, larger than normal orders, orders consisting of several of the same items, orders made up of “big-ticket” items, orders shipped “rush” or “overnight,” and orders shipped to an international address.
Anyone with information about the incidents is urged to contact police at 506-393-3000.
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