1. Attorney’s View: How to handle Debit Card fraud
http://www.empowernetwork.com/wellcraft3/blog/attorneys- view- how- to- handle- debit- card- fraug?id=wellcraft3 December 21, 2012
Protective measures on handling Debit
card fraud
Several years ago I got an unsolicited call from my bank
wondering if I was in Australia (I live just outside of Seattle,
WA). I said no, I was not traveling at the moment. It seems
someone had tried to hit my credit card twice in the amount
of $5,000 each somewhere in Australia. The transaction
did not go through, as this amount of money was not
common for me to spend outside the country, let alone the
USA and the bank has red flags set up for abnormal
purchases.
I was lucky on this one, and have always wondered how
this information could have been accessed.
Leaving a restaurant several days ago, I got to thinking how easy it would be to steal the
information off of a debit or credit card when not in your hands, and started doing a little research
on how we can better protect ourselves. Once that card leaves your hands, goes into another
room, all that information on your card can, within seconds, fall into the hands of a thief.
Now, I’m not saying all waitresses are thieves, but I got to thinking how easily and accessible credit
card info is available when it is out of your site. I have learned to pay for my meals at a restaurant
by taking my card to the checkout counter, never letting it out of sight. Even purchasing with a
credit card at a retail type clothing store, etc. can be risky. I found that a new way of thief’s access
your credit card info is by using the video on their cell phone. Once instance, a person was at a
checkout counter at a local pizzeria and noticed the clerk at the counter had his cell phone on the
counter. They later found out he had left his video recording device on, and while ringing up here
purchase with a credit card, passed the card over the phone’s video several times to record the
front and back card access info. Tricky!!!
There are new card coming out
now that have RFID feeds in them.
Instead of having to slide your card
through a reader, you just pass
your card close to a new device
that reads the radio frequency
information imbedded in your card.
Problem is with this device, it’s not
very well protected. A person
walking up to you, close by, with
an RFID reader in their coat
pocket, can access your credit
card info through your own purse,
and into your wallet. Radio
Frequency Identification cards
(RFID) , are emitting radio signals,

2. giving away what some security
experts say is crucial information
that could allow an electronic pickpocket to steal your credit card information without ever laying a
hand on you. It may be wise that when issued a new card by a bank to refuse the RFID type of
card.
Here are some other security measures that
should be considered when purchasing online
with a credit card:
• Use a st rong online banking password;
change it regularly and never disclose it to a
bank representative. A strong password is at
least 8 characters and includes a combination
of capital and lower case letters, numbers, and
special characters.
• Don’t ent er your password f or online
banking unless you see your cust omized
pict ure and phrase.
• Limit where you log in. Never log in to your
account at a public or unsecured computer.
Use a separate machine for financial
transactions.
• Never leave your comput ers or mobile devices unat t ended when logged in t o a bank
account
• Never email your account number or sensit ive inf ormat ion.
Here’s some attorney’s advice on debit card fraud:
• Do not sign t he back of your credit cards. Inst ead, put “Phot o ID Required”

3. • When you are writ ing checks t o pay on your credit card account s, DO NOT put t he
complet e account number on t he “For” line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit
card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it
passes through all the check processing channels won’t have access to it.
• Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone number. If you have
a P.P. box, use that instead of your home address.
• NEVER put your social securit y number on your checks
• Place t he cont ent of your wallet on a phot o copy machine. Do both sides of each license,
credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and
phone numbers to call and cancel if your wallet is lost or stolen.
To limit the damage in case you have debit card f raud if your card is lost or
stolen:
We’ve been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free
numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find
them.
File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This
proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there
is to be one).
Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name
and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by
a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The
alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they
have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

4. I hope some of these protective, pro-active measures are useful advice, and that you never have
to use implement them. In case you do, these measures, if followed, will make life much easier until
you recover usage of the lost cards.
Once you start seeing the money flow from your Empower Network business into your bank
account, use this advice if you decide to establish a credit or debit card through EN.
And if you haven’t had the chance to become one of our Empower Network team members, check
out this video again, JUST CLICK HERE, or if you have already see our introductory FREE video
presentation and are ready to join, just CLICK HERE and realize substantial savings that may not
last forever.
See you on the inside.
About The Author: wellcraf t3
Graduate of the University of Washington (Huskies) and still watch every Husky game
every Saturday. Retired owner of a Graphic Design firm looking for a little extra cash
with Empower Network. Living in Everett, WA and love to boat, fish, play golf, tennis
and bowl. Two daughters have graduated from college... one living near LA, CA and one studying in
New York to achieve her Masters in International Relations.