If you’re shopping online and make a purchase, only to be told your card was declined, stop! You may have stumbled into a new scam.
Multiple victims have reported that when their card was declined they tried another card or two, only to get the same error message. But they weren’t on a legitimate e-commerce site. It was a site designed to look like a well-known retailer’s site but operated by scammers.
Each time the victim entered their credit card, the scammer stole their credit or debit card information and made a series of fraudulent charges. Making matters worse, the victims were also instructed to enter personal information, such as name, address and phone number before entering their credit card information
It may be possible to dispute the bogus charges but the damage has been done. You’ll have to replace all the cards that were “declined” because they have been compromised. Your personal information has also been stolen and is likely for sale on the dark web.
How to avoid this scam
To avoid falling victim to this scam, make sure you are on a legitimate website. If it’s a site like Amazon, where you have an account, you should not be asked to submit personal information. If your credit card is on file you shouldn’t be asked to resubmit it.
Be very skeptical of emails, texts and pop-up ads, especially if they are unsolicited. Never click on any links that might be in these messages.
Some victims are tempted by a low price or a great offer. But prices that seem to good to be true usually are and result in a scam.
If making a purchase and your card is declined, don’t try using a second card. Instead, call your bank or credit card company and ask if there is a problem. They will also be able to tell you if there was a recent charge, allowing you to dispute it right away.
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