The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 30, 1994, The Gamecock Holiday Shopper, Page 13, Image 25
High-te
Front-Staff Reports
The Grinch who steals
Christmas packages from
shoppers can spoil the holiday,
but so can the Scrooge
who steals credit cards,
phone cards and ATM numbers.
A professor in USC's
n_.- : l T i.
uuncgc ui vjiimiucu uusutc
warns that high-tech thieves
work quicker, are harder to
catch and are more costly to
consumers.
"They're the ones who can
steal your credit card, have
the number in use in minutes
and reach the credit limit
within hours," said USC professor
Gene Stephens.
Credit and debit cards,
calling cards and money
transfer cards are in high use
J it . 1 T J
uuring tne noiiaay season
and are easy to access by
"fraud masters," the new
term given to high-tech crimi
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"They're the ones who c
have the number in use i
credit limit v
USC professor
rials.
"Once fraud masters get
the number, they can make
counterfeit cards quickly,"
Stephens said. "If the card is
easier to use somewhere else,
they trade them with other
fraud masters around the
world."
Other high-tech crimes
include using computers to
break into savings accounts
i i /* . . .
ana transiernng amounts to
other accounts. A new theft
called "virtual crime" allows
fraud masters to electronically
launder money by creating
fake stock, putting it on the
stock market, trading it and
selling it before they get
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inals ca
an steal your credit card,
in minutes and reach the
rithin hours."
Gene Stephens
caught.
"Fraud masters are ver
intelligent and highly profes
sional. They are adept a
information system and hov
to break them," Stephen:
said. "They are opportunist:
and seek an easy mark. I
you can make it difficult foi
them to steal from you, th<
thief will go elsewhere."
To avoid becoming a victin
of a fraud master, Stephen:
offers the following tips:
Don't give out credit num
bers, unless it's to a rep
utable business.
Make sure the clerl
returns the credit card anc
carbons after purchases
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Some clerks don't offer it
back and rim it to the limit
or sell it.
Be wary of offers that
sound too good to be true.
Many fraud masters will offer
spectacular bargains, just so
consumers will call and give
^ their credit card numbers.
Don't throw away ATM
t receipts in trash cans next to
v machines. Once a fraud mas3
ter get an account number,
3 it's just a matter of hours or
f even minutes before he can
r use his computer to figure
5 out the four-digit access code.
Use credit cards with holoi
grams or pictures. They are
3 harder to counterfeit.
When using a calling card,
J~ a. : i.^ rrTL- _x
uu it in private, mieves at
- airports can use binoculars or
high powered cameras to
observe the code.
1 Don't expect privacy using
. a cellular phone. New equip
IS
tffv Aromatherapy Candles
f Doma jewelry
Betsey Johnson, frog mobiles
k jazz and blues t-shirts
))( Indonesian pottery
|K&>
13 ^
olidays
ment is available in electronic
stores that can be used to
intercept cellular phone calls
and gain authorization numbers.
If you become a victim, the
quicker you react, the better.
Immediately call the credit
card or phone card company
to take yourself out of liability
for payment. In addition,
send a registered letter so the
company will have it in writing.
"This is a dangerous period
in time, because the information
age is here without us
being prepared for it,"
Stephens said. "Until we
develop system to thwart
them, this is a very lucrative
time for fraud masters."
.
H
clothing, jewelry, gifts and cards
7H7 saluda ave. 5points
Columbia. SC 803-771-9138 a
I LITERACY, AT RISK
KIDS, HUNGER...
. YOU CAN MAKE
1 A DIFFERENCE.
W Call or come by the Office of
Community Service
Programs 777-5780.