“Risky behaviors are rising dramatically,” said Andreas Suma, vice president and global product leader for fraud data at ACI.
Jalissa Brandon, 24, is facing multiple counts of stealing a credit card and fraud after she was caught on a video footage, Fox2 News Reports.
A Sam’s Club cashier stole hundreds of dollars using individuals Sam’s Club cards at least three separate occasions.
Brandon was caught on video footage stealing customers cards while standing on the line as a cashier. Typically, she waited until customers were preoccupied with their purchases and she would choose not to give the customers their cards back. One time she was caught giving a customer a different card that was fraudulent. The video coverage even revealed the woman slipping a customers card in her shoe.
Based on investigations made, Brandon would often take the card next door to the Walmart and make purchases. Sam’s Club customers had often complained of fraudulent charges to that store.
Unfortunately, Brandon got away with this crime for months before she was discovered. She racked up a whole lot of purchases in the time that her crime went unnoticed.
The incident is just one of many cases involving credit card fraud.
According to Aite Group, 46 percent of Americans have been victimized by credit card fraud in roughly the past five years, CBS News reports.
Experts partly blame careless consumers for that high number.
“Risky behaviors are rising dramatically,” said Andreas Suma, vice president and global product leader for fraud data at ACI.
Such behavior includes leaving one’s smartphone unlocked, online shopping or banking on a public computer, failing to tear up paper credit card statements, and more.
In addition to avoiding risky behaviors, experts also advise carrying a limited number of cards at all times.
“It’s fine to use one card and have one on hand as a backup, but to walk around with a wallet full of plastic magnifies the number of times you could be victimized from one lost wallet,” explains author and financial journalist Kathy Kristof in her CBS piece. “[When traveling], carry just one card and leave the other in the hotel safe.”
Additionally, they recommend using credit cards over debit, as these provide stronger protection against fraud.
Article Sources: Opposing Views/Facebook, Opposing Views, Fox News, America Web Media
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