Visa is warning of an old crime with a new twist. Pickpockets are going digital.
FBI Atlanta Supervisory Agent Joe Zadick says using mobile payment devices to tap against your wallet, is how thieves steal the number of your tap-to-pay bank cards.
Visa stated on its website that since digital pickpocketing occurs via a physical tap, the dynamic data from the transaction is accurate, making it harder to identify fraud in real-time.
Visa also offered tips to protect yourself along with Zadick saying you can block digital pickpockets by putting your cards and passports in RFID sleeves or wallets.
- Monitor your transactions and report any suspicious activity as quickly as possible to your financial institution.
- Update your passwords, choosing a strong and unique one for every account. When usernames and passwords are compromised, criminals can try to re-use that information at various sites beyond the breached one.
- Make sure to enable two-factor authentication wherever possible for added protection.
- Remember to never share sensitive information via call, text, mail or social media.