The following crime prevention advice on credit card machine fraud is highlighted upon NCPU awareness of a fraudulent incident in Northern Ireland where a credit card machine was removed from the business reception area and large sums of money were refunded to a credit card.
Staff should keep track of their payment card equipment, including credit card terminals, desktop or laptop computers, and credit card readers. They should inspect credit card terminals regularly and routinely examine devices for signs of tampering, like items plugged into ports, USB drives, scratches on coverings, or objects attached in front of or behind card swipe slots.
Please note Banking Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) Protecting Your Business Against Fraud – Check List:
• Ensure that you have CCTV cameras installed in your shop. These are a proven deterrent to criminal activity. Make sure they are in working order, that the date and time are correct on them and that they are pointing in the right direction. (Clocks went forward 29th March)
• Position PIN Entry Devices where customers can enter their PIN without being overlooked by other customers or staff members.
• Ensure that staff members receive training on basic crime and fraud issues – simple points of information can help prevent your business losing money through fraud.
• Ensure the card data that you are recording or holding is protected under the payment card industry standards – PCI Security Standards (talk to your card processor for more details).
• Make sure that you keep transaction information for the required length of time (as per your card processor’s terms and conditions). If a cardholder disputes a non-Chip & PIN transaction, you may need to produce documentary evidence to prove that they carried out a given purchase at your store.
• Familiarise yourself with your card terminal and PIN Entry device. Check them regularly for any irregularities.
• It is important to pre-arrange any terminal engineer visits from your card processor, especially when setting up a new business. Criminals might use the opportunity to enter your business purporting to be an engineer in order to tamper with your tills and terminals.
• When engineer visits have been arranged with your terminal provider, ensure that all staff members are made aware of the visit and that the individual provides proper identification on arrival. Make sure that someone stays with them at all times.
• Do not engage with people purporting to be from your bank, acquirer, engineers etc. by phone or face to face without first independently verifying their identity
• If you want to accept payment cards on the Internet, by mail order or via telesales: ensure that you have the correct terms set up with your card processor. Retailers that accept cards in a face to face environment are required to adhere to a different set of terms than one which accepts cards in a ‘card not present’ environment.
• Ensure that your internet sales are protected using 3D Secure (talk to your card processor for more details)
• Report all thefts to Gardaí.
Garda National Crime Prevention Unit
Garda HQ, Harcourt Square, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.
Tel: +353-01-6663313
