Visa Debit Card /Master Debit Card Fraud
It has come to our attention that Visa and Master Scheme Cards are being fraudulently used by perpetrators. These perpetrators are using fraudulently skimmed cards with real customer card details that are believed to have been captured via a skimming device either attached to an ATM or via a hand held card reader device that these criminals have been known to use. Currently, a number of such incidents of skimming have been observed in Fiji.
Debit card fraud occurs when a criminal gains access to your debit card numbers and in some cases, PIN, to make unauthorised purchase and/or withdraw cash from your account. These transactions can affect any BSP customers due to our larger ATM reach and interchange capabilities.
It is important that BSP customers understand that when fraudulent transactions have been identified, these fraudulent transactions may be refunded to the customer once appropriate investigations have been completed.
For customers carrying a MasterCard or Visa Debit Card that can be used overseas, they should be on the lookout for any fraudulent transactions on their accounts, as there have been instances detected where the card information has been skimmed and then used overseas fraudulently.
How to Detect Debit Card Fraud -
We recommend that you sign up for online banking.
The easiest way to spot problems early is to sign up for online banking, if you haven't already. Check your balance and recent transactions daily. The sooner you detect fraud, the easier it will be to limit its impact on your finances.
If you don't want to bank online, you can keep tabs on your recent transactions via mobile banking. At the very least, you should review your monthly bank statement as soon as you receive them, and check your account balance whenever you visit an ATM or bank teller. However, it can take much longer to detect fraud using these methods.
In the meantime, we recommend you take the following precautions when using your card;
- Always cover your hand when you are entering in your PIN. This is equally important for an ATM or an EFTPOS device.
- Never give your card & PIN to a 3rd party such as family members or money lenders. If you do give your card & PIN out to a 3rd party, you are not following the terms and conditions under which your card was issued and may put in doubt your ability to get a refund on a fraudulent transaction.
- We recommend that for your peace of mind, you change your current PIN. This can be done at most ATM's.
If you have any doubts about the validity of a transaction, please contact your nearest branch immediately.