Why helping someone at ATM point is dangerous

ARE you one of those who love to help clueless customers on how to use their ATM cards when stuck with an ATM machine in a bank? From this point on, it is better one think twice before starting to lend a hand as one might run into trouble trying to be the good Samaritan.

Now that Nigeria has been officially declared as being in recession, many have become more desperate and daring to make money at all cost and by all means possible and the most unsuspecting way that most lose their hard-earned cash is to e-fraudsters mostly when trying to help a supposed illiterate on how to use the ATM.

Banks have Credit card fraud laws, which terms and conditions of misuse are lengthy and difficult to understand. What most are aware of is that card users in Nigeria are responsible for the replacement of compromised cards, anong other conditions.

Card fraud is a theft committed using a credit card. Most often, it is associated with stolen or compromised information and unauthorised credit card user. Everyone knows that. But there are situations that appear not to be illegal to a bank user, but do break the terms of one’s contract with the card issuer, that is the bank. What many take for granted because of trust is the fact that card owners can unknowingly break the law and commit credit card fraud, whether it’s on purpose or by accident. This oversight can carry legal and financial consequences, as well as impact owner’s ability to enjoy other services offered by the bank or even open a bank account. To be on the safe side, it is better to know what to keep in mind when approached by anyone for help with an ATM machine anywhere

Using a fake credit card number to sign up for a free trial online

Have you helped someone to sign up for a free trial of an online service or samples of a product in the past? Surely you must have been provided a card number by the person, which will eventually get charged if you forget to cancel your service — which is likely. There are several sites that offer “fake” credit card numbers for people who just want to sign up for free trials online or receive samples without providing any real payment information. These sites claim the credit card number is 100 percent fake and won’t pass a verification test if the website runs one. So, you risk unknowingly using a stolen card number or unintentionally breaking the law. Even if the fake credit card number is legal to use, you could be breaking the terms and conditions on the site offering the free trial. If the card has been compromised, which you may not know, you risk arrest once your face is captured on the ATM camera, while the person you tried to assist won’t even be anywhere near any trouble. It’s best to stay on the safe side and just use your own ATM card.

The person you are trying to help might be using someone else’s credit card

If you are caught using someone else’s card without permission, it is fraud. More often than not, that person wearing a fez cap or slouch hat asking you to help out with the machine might be using a stolen card. The card user’s face is always captured on camera, so there is no escape for you, while the man in hat has his face well hidden from camera.

“When you get caught doing something illegal with an ATM card, you can’t dispute any of the activity or make claims against any of the bank’s charges,” said Mr Keshi Okusaga of a first generation bank. That’s something to think about the next time your friend needs help ordering something through Konga, Jumia, Wakabout or any on-line service provider.

Disputing your own credit card charges

Chargeback fraud, or “friendly fraud” as it is called, happens when someone makes an online purchase with his credit card and then calls the card issuer and requests a refund, citing fraud. The bank refunds the money and the consumer keeps the goods, leaving the merchant on the hook for the cash. In some cases, the consumer forgets which charges he made and in some, he’s intentionally committing fraud. Getting caught with any of such compromised ATM cards, whether you know that much or not, will get you in trouble. Yahoo boys are said to use this style most. The person you are trying to help out might have been involved in such fraud and won’t probably tell you. For example, third-party payments systems, like PayPal, Paga, use the merchant’s name. One of these is an honest mistake; the other is outright fraud. If you are intentionally committing chargeback fraud, which will not only eventually get passed down to consumers, but it is very illegal, you risk jail term.

Lying on your credit card application

Mistakes happen, but intentionally giving false information, like your age or income, on a credit card application can land you in legal trouble, including being charged with theft by deception and larceny. Penalties vary, but can include: fines, probation, community service or jail term. You can even face criminal charges – especially if you end up defaulting. So, at any point, be on the alert when approached by anyone at ATM points in bank after-hours.