Pune: An ICICI credit card holder from the city was duped of Rs. 81,000 by some miscreant who is yet to be traced. Devdas T Chakravorty, a local construction firm storekeeper got the shock of his life when he couldn't withdraw funds from an ATM, which didn't return his credit card. On contacting the ICICI Bank credit card division regarding this matter he was informed that he has already jumped his credit limits and money has been withdrawn by using his credit cards between September 26 and September 29. An amount of Rs. 81,000 had been withdrawn during this period. Chakravorty rushed to the cyber crime cell of the city policy and lodged a complaint. Sunil Phulari, who heads the cyber crime cell said, "This could be due to either someone hacking the personal identification number (PIN) of the credit card using Internet or stealing the key details of credit card." Cyber crimes like stealing credit card and bank account details with phishing, identity theft and other means have grown significantly over the past few years. This growth can be attributed to the widespread use of activities such as online banking, e-commerce and online money transfer etc. using the Internet and the lack of awareness regarding safety precautions to protect and identify such frauds. Credit cards ownership has its own risks and rewards, however the risks can be avoided if we follow certain basic safety tips listed below: Keep the details of your credit card and Personal Identification Number (PIN) safe and secure. Don't write your PIN everywhere. Remember most credit card transactions particularly cash withdrawal from ATMs will require a PIN. The best way is to remember the PIN. If you can't remember it write it down and put it at a safe place, which only you can access. Don't share your credit card and bank details with anyone and this is particularly important when someone asks for your credit card details on phone. Never divulge details unless you've initiated the call. If possible a credit card with a photo ID option is more secure and you should always have a credit card with your photo on it. This will prevent its misuse. Always sign at the back of your credit card in the space provided as soon as you receive the credit card. Keep an eye on your credit card when you use it for paying bills, buying goods etc. Don't let it out of sight for too long. Miscreants are everywhere and it just takes few minutes to copy all the details. Keep a record of all the transactions made by your credit card and verify them against your credit card monthly statements. If you find any discrepancy contact your bank immediately and report the matter. Always keep the emergency number of your credit card company handy, if you lose your credit card or sense any misuse call their helpline and get the credit card blocked immediately. |
