HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) – The Hastings Police Department is issuing a warning to local businesses after a recent trend of fraudulent credit card activity reported throughout the city.
HPD has received multiple reports of suspects attempting to make credit card purchases with numbers that are not physically presented on the card.
Suspects are presenting a damaged or non-functioning card, and requesting that the number be manually entered into the payment system.
In many cases, the card numbers are fraudulent and do not match the physical card.
Another method suspects have used is presenting card numbers through a digital photo.
Several of the fraudulent transactions have involved credit cards associated with the “Commonwealth Bank of Australia,” but the scam is not limited to that institution.
HPD said that many credit card processing companies do not reimburse businesses for losses resulting from manually entered and unauthorized transactions.
To protect your business, HPD recommends the following:
• Avoid manually entering card numbers whenever possible.
• Ask the customer to present valid identification, such as a driver’s license, especially when a card appears damaged or is unable to be swiped or tapped.
• Monitor for unusual or high-value transactions.
• Report any suspicious behavior or attempted fraud to the Hastings Police Department immediately.
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