Business Alert: Scam Artists Target Weekend Employees To Steal Customer Data

A business in southwest Idaho received a phone call this past Saturday from someone claiming to be with Merchant Services.  The caller asked for the cashier at the business.  When connected, the caller asked if the cashier had handled any credit card transactions that day.  The cashier said there had been two transactions.  The caller said there had been a problem with one of the transactions and asked if the terminal had been serviced recently.
The cashier replied that they didn’t know.  Then, the called asked for the six-digit authorization number on last transaction, the amount of the transaction and name on the credit card. 
The cashier provided the information and could hear the caller typing on a keyboard.  The caller mumbled, “I have this one, not that one,” and asked for the next same information regarding the second transaction. 
After the cashier provided the information, the caller asked for the customer’s phone number.  The cashier became suspicious and refused to provide the number.  The caller became agitated, pressed for the number and when rebuffed, hung up.

The cashier notified management who contacted the two customers.  The first customer had an unlisted phone number and had not been contacted by anyone.  The second customer had a listed phone number and had been called by someone claiming to be from the business.  The customer explained the call: The business name showed up on the customer’s Caller ID screen.  The caller claiming to be from the business said there had been problems running the credit card and asked the customer to verify the number. The customer refused to provide the number over the phone saying he would visit the store – and ended the conversation.

The Better Business Bureau urges business owners and managers to share this story with employees as part of the training offered to safeguard customer information – one of the BBB’s Standards for Trust.

Existing technology makes it possible for the scam artist to clone the name and phone number of a business in order to place a call to the customer.

Red flags:
• The scam artist calls on a Saturday when owners and management are more likely to be away from the business. 
• The scam artist makes it sound as though he/she is checking transactions and confirming information.
• The scam artist asks for sensitive customer information.

BBB advice:
• Inform employees that Merchant Services or any reputable credit card processor will always mail or fax requests for sensitive information.
• Employees should never allow unsolicited callers to remotely program a terminal or make any adjustments to it.
• Employees should NEVER give Merchant ID, tax ID or bank account number to an unsolicited caller.
• For consumers, if you receive a call claiming to be from a business – asking to verify any information, hang up the phone, independently verify the business’ phone number and call or visit the location.