Mobile top-up fraud on the rise
August 26, 2009
A new trend in card fraud seems to be hitting the streets of the U.K. More and more people are claiming that their card details are being used to make payments for illegal mobile phone top ups.
The pay-as-you-go top-ups are usually for relatively small amounts so that people are unlikely to notice them on bank statements. However experts say that this sort of behavior is often a precursor to something more major.
Sandra Quinn of the Financial Fraud Group said: “Fraudsters often try things out with smaller amounts such as this and, if it works, they will then try for much larger sums. They know many people will not notice these amounts on their statements. Always contact your bank or card provider if you’ve fallen victim.”
It seems that there is not an awful lot the phone companies can do about the situation. O2 said it was sympathetic but was not in a situation to help someone who has had their bank information stolen.
A spokeswoman for O2 did say: “Anyone who thinks they have been wrongly charged by O2 should contact us. Our fraud department will take steps to help identify the reasons for the top-up and, if fraudulent, they will ensure the fraudulent handset cannot be used. We would also advise them to contact their bank.”
Thanks to www.moneysavingexpert.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.
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