Premium Essay

Skimming: Identity Theft Scheme

Submitted By
Words 957
Pages 4
“Skimming refers to stealing credit and debit card numbers while processing the card. This can occur at restaurant, store, gas station or anywhere else that a card transaction takes place, including an ATM” (Munton and McLeod 164). Skimming method is another identity theft scheme that is used by criminals and happens when individuals use their credit cards. Upon the utilization of the credit card, a skimming machine reads the magnetic stripe on the back of a credit or debit card when it is swiped to make a purchase or to access your account through an ATM. The skimmer records the following data: cardholder’s name, account number, expiration date and the card security code and saves it. Now criminals have all the information they need to make unauthorized purchases on the victim’s card (Levin and …show more content…
It is important to change your account logins, passwords and pin numbers so additional charges can’t be made. Next, you should place a fraud alert with one of the credit bureaus. A fraud alert will make it harder for new accounts to be opened in your name without your identity being verified. You should also obtain a copy of your credit report and look over it to see if other fraudulent accounts have been opened. Finally, you should report your identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission and to your local police department so there is documented proof that someone has stolen your identity. By filing these reports, you are guaranteed certain rights and protections. ("What Are Identity Theft and Identity Fraud?") As the old proverbial phrase goes “An ounce of preventions is worth a pound of cure” this is so true when it comes to protecting yourself against identity theft. It is easier to stop something from happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it has

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Dumpster Fraud Research Paper

...Technology is abundant and the knowledge of being able to use the technology can be easily manipulated. Hackers and criminals like to use two different techniques, non-technological schemes and technological schemes. Non – technological schemes include dumpster diving, mail theft, social engineering, and shoulder surfing and stealing personal items. This technique is exactly what it sounds like the criminal or hacker does not use technology but will use theft and other diversions to gather personal information. Dumpster diving is the act of going through somebody else’s garbage to obtain personal information off of the items found in the garbage. To protect yourself from this you should shred everything before throwing it away. You could also go paperless and get online bank...

Words: 1134 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Identity Theft

...Technology help Criminals Commit Identity Theft? Identity theft is becoming one of the fastest growing criminal offenses in the United States. Identity theft is a form of stealing someone's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name (Kiesbye). It is important for one to know that identity theft is not just a financial crime. It is a serious crime that can cause havoc on finances, credit history, and reputation. Identity theft can go unnoticed and can take time, money, and patience to resolve. Technology is constantly evolving making identity theft an easier crime to commit (Kiesbye). There are several ways in which technology plays a major role in assisting criminals commit identity theft (Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News). Some ways include computer hacking, telephone bugging, and old-fashioned stealing. Identity theft has become a very serious business for criminals (Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News). . Identity theft has been around for a number of years. The term identity theft was coined in 1964 however it does not mean to steal an identity but rather to impersonate another individual to commit fraud or deception (Vacca). Identity theft is not easily detectable by the individuals. Someone can steal or misappropriate personal information without the individual knowing then commit identity theft using the stolen information...

Words: 1341 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Computer Crime

...How much money is at stake, lost and recovered? How can such crime be reduced – by prevention or punishment? Online and desk-based reviews of books, reports and articles Legislative and case-law analysis, including sentencing research Consultations with business, government and the community Surveys of households, businesses, offenders and victims Analysis of media reporting of crime Research methods Dissemination of findings • Reports, books, articles, conference papers, roundtables, online, media Cyber crime concepts Organised Crime e.g. OMCGs Identity Crime Cyber Crime e.g. off-line crimes e.g. ID theft Internet Crime e.g. Offensive Content Phishing Financial Crime e.g. Home renovation scams A chronology of cyber crime Cloud computing risks 2009 Wireless vulnerabilities 2007 M-commerce attacks 2006 Phishing 2002 Cyberstalking 1998 Cyberterrorism attacks 1997 Spam 1995 Identity crime 1995 Online piracy 1995 Botnets 1993 Child exploitation1990 ATM fraud 1985 Funds transfer fraud 1985 Extortion 1980 Denial of service 1980 Creeper virus 1971 Computer hacking 1970 Telemarketing scams 1965 Phreaking 1961 Organised...

Words: 1301 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Skimming Devices in Gas Pumps Ais Breach

...Skimming Devices in Gas Pumps Lori Markey Acct 571 15 March 2014 ABSTRACT This paper explores fraudulent activity committed by using gas pumps to steal financial information from victims. Furthermore, the paper attempts to answer a variety of questions as presented on Page 143 of our text book. Such as the control issues that were breached and how the fraudsters meet the profile of the average perpetrator. Additionally, I will explore elements of the fraud triangle, red flags for fraud, and problems with prosecuting criminals. Skimming Devices in Gas Pumps In March 2013, four men Garegin Spartalyan, Aram Martirosian, Hayk Dzhandzhapanyn, and Davit Kudugulyan were charged with 426 counts of money laundering, criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny, criminal possession of a forgery device, and criminal possession of forged instruments (Vance, 2014). The men are from Las Vegas, Nevada except Hayk who hails from California (Vance, 2014). The four along with nine other accomplices were accused of stealing victims banking information and PINS by using skimming machines at gas stations in Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee. The skimming device is put inside the pump with a universal to open the front and only takes between 5 – 10 minutes to install/remove (biggs, 2014). The skimmers that were used connect into the line between the card reader and pump computer to read the PIN input and the magnetic strip and store the information locally (biggs, 2014)...

Words: 1768 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Identity Theft Report

...the centuries, the term ‘identity theft’ has meant many things. People have pretended to be other when committing crimes to avoid sentencing. Identities have been stolen in order to obtain certain medical care or drugs that would be unavailable otherwise. In this day and age, identity theft has become synonymous with finances. Thieves all over the world are using various methods to gain access to your money; and they’re more successful at it now than ever before. According to a 2013 Javelin report, 13.1 million people in the United States suffered financially because of identity fraud. According to multiple reports, that number is expected to rise in 2014 and beyond. As we get smarter about how financial identity theft is committed, criminals become smarter about gaining our sensitive information. When we became good about shredding old credits cards and bank statements, they used e-mail and phone schemes to coax us into giving our information to them. Companies invest millions of dollars into new technologies meant to keep criminals out of databases, and criminals simply bypass these obstacles with combinations of cutting-edge and archaic techniques. It’s a vicious cycle that seems to have no end. So how can we as consumers protect ourselves from these identity thieves? Consumers must take a more active role in their financial lives, especially when it comes to online transactions. People often rely on stores and banks to protect their identities online. This is a huge mistake...

Words: 4801 - Pages: 20

Premium Essay

Crj 320 Wk 10 Quiz 10 Chapter 17 and 21

...replace or destroy data on the computer’s hard drive and a. identify bank accounts and financial records. b. leave a “back door” open for later entry. c. obtain one’s access codes. d. defraud the end user. 5. Port scanning is a. looking for access into a computer. b. scanning for a portable computer that is using a wireless system. c. removing data. d. linking access codes. 6. Which of the following is not one of the three general categories of cybercriminals? a. crackers c. criminals b. vandals d. IT professionals 7. Which of the following statements about reshipper schemes is correct? a. These schemes typically involve employees of the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, FedEx or other such businesses. b. The masterminds of reshipper schemes often initiate contact with their victims in chat rooms. c. Scam artists who organize these schemes are frequently charged with sabotage. d. These schemes typically involve intercepting a computer being shipped, installing spyware and...

Words: 1901 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Id Theft

...IDENTITY THEFT Fraud- intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. Fraud is a crime and a civil law violation. (1) Fraud affects individuals, businesses and the economy as a whole. Every year millions of dollars are lost due to activities of scammers using countless illegal techniques to achieve their goals. As hard as people work to make money and as difficult as it is to save it, the last thing they want to do is lose any of it through fraud. Financial fraud is the number one consumer complaint, and the biggest danger all the people face nowadays is identity theft, one of the most pervasive and insidious crimes. Identity theft occurs when someone assumes some or all of your identity to engage in criminal behavior. The first case of identity theft is described in the Bible when Jacob covered his hands and neck with goat skin in order to trick his father into giving him a blessing of a firstborn, in order to acquire all the property and livestock his father owned. In early American history, identity theft was focused on voters’ registration and ballot stuffing. Then in1930’s, brought 21’st amendment to the United States Constitution brought the new law that repealed prohibition. Alcohol was legal again, but drinking age was determined by individual state, until 1984 when US Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. Between these times worst crime committed was underage drinking using fake ID. Usage of assumed name and identification...

Words: 2899 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Criminology

...Criminology AIU Online CRJS105 March 25, 2016 In today’s society there is a general lack of understanding to the field of criminology. There is a lack of understanding to what a criminalist does and how it differs from what a criminologist does. There is a common misconception to how the public views the differences between crime. The public may not realize that there are national databases that the FBI has that offers statistical information of state and national crimes. Furthermore, the media plays a large role in the misconception of the severity and frequency of crimes, choosing to sensationalize those which they feel will bring in more views. Criminalists have an important part in the justice field. They collect, preserve, and interpret evidence found at crime scenes. Their job is to reconstruct the crime from the evidence. To become a criminalist one must obtain a Bachelor’s degree in biological, physical, or forensic sciences, as well as have accumulated a minimum of twenty-four semester hours of chemistry, biology and math. (Becoming a Criminalist: How to become a Criminalist, n.d.) Criminalist can work in the public sector in local police departments or sheriff departments, on a regional level at state crime labs and medical examiners offices and at the federal level for the FBI, DEA, and CIA. They may also teach at public colleges and universities. If I were to choose to work in the public sector, I would choose a state lab to be able to sort through evidence...

Words: 980 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Report to Nations

...successors has become the most authoritative and widely quoted body of research on occupational fraud. The data presented in our 2012 Report is based on 1,388 cases of occupational fraud that were reported by the Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) who investigated them. These offenses occurred in nearly 100 countries on six continents, offering readers a view into the global nature of occupational fraud. As in previous years, what is perhaps most striking about the data we gathered is how consistent the patterns of fraud are around the globe and over time. We believe this consistency reaffirms the value of our research efforts and the reliability of our findings as truly representative of the characteristics of occupational fraudsters and their schemes. On behalf of the ACFE, and in honor of its founder, Dr. Wells, I am pleased to present the 2012 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse. It is my hope that practitioners, business and government organizations, academics, the media and the general public throughout the world will find the information contained in this Report of value in their efforts to prevent,...

Words: 5423 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Credit Card Frauds

...Topic : CREDIT CARD FRAUDS Problem Statement : Analyse the effect of credit card frauds in today’s era of globalization Hyphothesis : Credit card fraud could damage the economy in the long run Research questions : 1)What are the different types of frauds 2)How fraudsters attempt to take advantage of loopholes 3)What are the impact of credit card fraud on card holders, merchants, issuers INTRODUCTION As for in today’s business environment, Credit Card Fraud has became one of the biggest threats to business establishments t. However, to fight the fraud effectively, it is important to first understand the mechanisms of executing a fraud. Credit card fraudsters employ a large number of techniques to commit fraud. In simple terms, Credit Card Fraud is defined as: When an individual uses another individuals’ credit card for personal reasons while the owner of the card and the card issuer are not aware of the fact that the card is being used. Further, the individual using the card has no connection with the cardholder or issuer, and has no intention of either contacting the owner of the card or making repayments for the purchases made. Credit card frauds are committed in the following ways: * An act of criminal deception (mislead with intent) by use of unauthorized account and/or personal information * Illegal or unauthorized use of account for personal gain * Misrepresentation of account information to obtain goods and/or services...

Words: 1878 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

World

...that causes its victim to suffer an economic loss and/or the perpetrator to realize a gain. A simple working definition of fraud is theft by deception. Legal Elements of Fraud Under common law, fraud includes four essential elements: 1. A material false statement 2. Knowledge that the statement was false when it was spoken 3. Reliance on the false statement by the victim 4. Damages resulting from the victim’s reliance on the false statement In the broadest sense, fraud can encompass any crime for gain that uses deception as its principal technique. This deception is implemented through fraud schemes: specific methodologies used to commit and conceal the fraudulent act. There are three ways to relieve a victim of money illegally: force, trickery, or larceny. Those offenses that employ trickery are frauds. The legal definition of fraud is the same whether the offense is criminal or civil; the difference is that criminal cases must meet a higher burden of proof. For example, let’s assume an employee who worked in the warehouse of a computer manufacturer stole valuable computer chips when no one was looking and resold them to a competitor. This conduct is certainly illegal, but what law has the employee broken? Has he committed fraud? The answer, of course, is that it depends. Let us briefly review the legal ramifications of the theft. The legal term for stealing is larceny, which is defined as “felonious stealing, taking and carrying, leading, riding, or driving...

Words: 5045 - Pages: 21

Premium Essay

Banking

...or intends to gain advantage over another person. Fraud causes loss to the victim directly or indirectly. Fraud has not been described or discussed clearly in The Indian Penal Code but sections dealing with cheating. concealment, forgery counterfeiting and breach of trust has been discusses which leads to the act of fraud. In Contractual term as described in the Indian Contract Act, Sec 17 suggests that a fraud means and includes any of the acts by a party to a contract or with his connivance or by his agents with the intention to deceive another party or his agent or to induce him to enter in to a contract. Banking Frauds constitute a considerable percentage of white-collar offences being probed by the police. Unlike ordinary thefts and robberies, the amount misappropriated in these crimes runs into lakhs and crores of rupees. Bank fraud is a federal crime in many countries, defined as planning to obtain property or money from any federally insured financial institution. It is sometimes considered a white collar crime. The number of bank frauds in India is substantial. It in increasing with the passage of time. All the major operational areas in banking represent a good opportunity for fraudsters with growing incidence being reported under deposit, loan and inter-branch accounting transactions, including remittances. Bank fraud is a big business in today’s world. With more educational qualifications, banking becoming impersonal and increase in banking sector...

Words: 3880 - Pages: 16

Free Essay

Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention in Non-Profit Organization

...INTERNAL CONTROLS AND FRAUD PREVENTION IN NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WRITTEN BY DAVID SANNI Designed to provide information on key areas that can strengthen the internal control system of VI-MID-ISLAND SERVICE (VIMS) Submitted To VANESSA OLTMAN Faculty of Management Vancouver Island University Nanaimo, BC, Canada (Nov/15/2012) Table of Content 1.0 INTRODUCTION 3 2.0 NATURE OF FRAUD IN CANADIAN NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION 3 2.1 TYPE OF FRAUD IN NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS 3 2.2 PERPETRATORS OF FRAUD IN NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION 4 2.3 IMPACT OF FRAUD TO NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION 4 3.0 COMPREHENSIVE APROACHE TO REDUCE FRAUD 5 3.1 UNDERSTANDING INTERNAL CONTROL 5 3.2 BENEFIT OF INTERNAL CONTROL 5 3.3 LIMITATIONS OF INTERNAL CONTROL 6 3.4 CONTROL MEARSURES IN PREVENTING FRAUD 6 3.5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION……………………….………………….8 4.0 REFERENCE…… ……………………………………………………………9 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Canadian non profit sector has one of the largest populations in the world, accounting for over 7% GDP and creating 2 million full time jobs for Canadians. Further discoveries was made that 78% Canadians donates money to non profit Organization irrespective of all walks of life and income bracket. These donations are received to address core issues...

Words: 2777 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Twrm Paper

...INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND CRIME: AN ANALYSIS 1.Introduction In the era of technology all activities are being conducted with the help of technology in all over the world. Now it is considered that ‘information is power’ and so the widely used term ‘information’ is combined with ‘technology’ that encompasses the term ‘information technology’. Information technology generally means processing and distribution of data using computer hardware and software, telecommunications and digital electronics. So the common medium of information technology is computer, internet, and mostly used cellular phone. This system helps us take the optimum benefit from this ‘Global Ocean of knowledge’ that much our every day needs. The strength of internet in which everybody’s knowledge is open for use by everybody within a global village for better living standards. On the other hand crime is a social and economic phenomenon and is as old as the human society has become a legal concept and has the sanction of the law. So in combination the term of information technology and crime if positive relation then makes a definition that information technological crime is those facts which is made by digital way getting economical and social benefit illegally and legally prohibited by law, on the other hand if opposite relation then make definition is a method if reducing crime by digital way in the digital era. From the view of positive technology stimulates not only a free trade and economic...

Words: 5282 - Pages: 22

Free Essay

A Study on Customer Awareness Towards Atm Frauds

...TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER NUMBER | TITLE | PAGE NUMBER | 1 | Introduction | 1 - 7 | 2 | Theoretical background of study | 8 - 21 | 3 | Analysis and Interpretation | 22 - 77 | 4 | Findings and suggestion | 77 - 82 | 5 | Conclusion | 83 | | Bibliography | vi - vii | | Annexure | viii - xi | LIST OF TABLES TABLE NO. | TITLE | PAGE NUMBER | 3.1 | Age of the respondent | 22 | 3.2 | Gender of the respondents | 24 | 3.3 | Educational qualification of the respondents | 26 | 3.4 | Occupational status of the respondents | 28 | 3.5 | Awareness on the procedure for using ATM | 30 | 3.6 | Receipt of proper guidelines from bank | 32 | 3.6.1 | Mode of receipt of guidelines | 34 | 3.6.2 | Instructions followed by customers | 36 | 3.6.3 | Requirement for more guidelines | 38 | 3.7 | Usage of ATM in a remote/suspicious area | 40 | 3.8 | Usage of ATM besides unknown person | 42 | 3.9 | Closing the entry door while using ATM | 44 | 3.10 | Lending the card or pin to stranger’s | 46 | 3.11 | Leave the ATM before cancelling or completing the transaction | 48 | 3.12 | Mention the pin in the card | 50 | 3.13 | Usage of ATM device while they suspect ATM device has been tampered | 52 | 3.14 | Inform the bank immediately about lost card | 54 | 3.15 | Checking of bank accounts regularly | 56 | 3.16 | Inform the bank immediately on finding of any unauthorized ATM transaction | 58 | 3.17 | Usage of ATM device with any old equipment...

Words: 12313 - Pages: 50