With an estimated 147 million people shopping this weekend for Black Friday deals from Furbys to flat-screen televisions, thieves will have plenty of targets.
Some say a symbol on credit cards, half-circles indicating a radio-frequency identification microchip, will put customers at risk of identity theft, but most experts say traditional theft is more likely.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts found that anyone with a scanner could steal a credit card’s information, like a virtual pickpocket if the card contained a microchip that allows consumers to wave their card near a scanner instead of swiping it or handing it to a cashier.
http://liarcatchers.com/identity_theft_investigation.html
Some companies jumped on board, marketing wallets and purses that block clandestine credit card scanners.
“They do make certain wallets or purses that trap the signal so they just can’t be scanned,” Heath police Sgt. Craig Black said.
However, Nikki Junker, social media manager at the Identity Theft Resource Center, said thieves would have a difficult time using the scanned information to make fraudulent transactions because of safety features in credit cards.
“In our opinion, it’s not something you have to worry about,” she said.
Several police departments had no reports of this type of theft.
Consumers should be more concerned about keeping an eye on their credit cards, wallets and purses, Marion police Major Randy Caryer said. It’s easy to lose track of those items in crowds or at restaurants, he said.
Customers can minimize their risk of credit card theft by carrying only the cards needed for that shopping trip and leaving social security cards at home, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office advised.
Junker suggested using a credit card for Black Friday shopping rather than a debit card because federal law places a $50 cap on how much a victim must pay for unauthorized purchases.
Compensation for loss on debit and ATM cards depends on how quickly the card holder reports the unauthorized use, the Federal Trade Commission reported.
“(The banks) are trying to get their money back; they might take a little bit more time to get your money back,” Junker said.
Junker also advised shoppers to be wary of public wireless networks, especially if their smart phones and tablets do not have anti-virus software. This holds true even if the store has a password for customers to access WiFi, she said.
“It’s incredibly unsafe,” Junker said. “Everyone in the coffee shop is on the same network.”
Consumers can avoid Cyber Monday scams by sticking to websites of brick and mortar stores and reliable online merchandisers. Be sure to check the URLs, because missing a letter might send you to a spoofed site set up by criminals, Junker said.
Even as cyber criminals become more savvy, it still is important to watch out for in-person scams, Zanesville police Lt. Bill Shaw said.
Lancaster police Lt. Greg Seesholtz advised shoppers not to leave their purses and wallets on the front seat, even if the items are covered by a jacket.
Most safety tips are common sense, but people disregard them because they don’t believe they will be victims. People should park in well lighted areas, lock their doors when not present, and never leave items out in plain view, Seesholtz said.
In Zanesville, the most common form of identity theft is elderly people trusting caregivers with credit cards and check books, Shaw said. It’s not technologically advanced, but the effect is the same, he said.
A good rule of thumb: “If it sounds too good to be true, it typically is,” Junker said.
