Three locals reported having their credit cards used by scammers this past weekend. One woman said her card number had been absconded by someone in New Zealand who made two $400 purchases.
Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen has some advice for those caught in one of these devious schemes.
“When someone reports this type of activity to the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office we refer them to a national hotline unless their card has been stolen here in Cook County and we can identify a suspect,” Eliasen said.
“I found some information on the Internet which I have included below. There was an incident of ‘skimming’ reported in Lake County recently at gas pumps. I do not have the specific location or date but recall seeing an email warning about this activity.
“A way in which thieves could come to have your 16-digit credit card number is through online data breaches. The numbers stolen from those sites often end up on ‘carding’ shops, where people go to buy stolen credit card numbers for use online.
“Skimming-“skimming” requires a thief to have a physical scanner that reads the information from your credit card. These devices are surprisingly easy to get and thieves can be rather creative in using them to tamper with ATMs, card readers at businesses, and other places where your card is swiped on a regular basis.”
Bottom line, if there is any unusual activity on your card; call your bank to learn more. They will help you discover where, when, and what has been purchased. Then, if you know there is illegal activity associated with your card, call your credit card company and make sure the card is cancelled. Talk to the provider of the card and see what can be done to mitigate or have the illegal purchases dropped.
Also, it’s a good idea to keep a frequent check on your card(s). It’s better to be safe than sorry.
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