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credit fraud, a growing phenomenon

Dr. Laura Bianchi
Dr. Lara Ricci

The credit fraud or criminal activity aimed at obtaining credit or goods with the intent not to repay the financing or not to pay, are dramatically increasing and will probably continue to increase in coming years , considering that in 2007 their number has reached 22,500, an amount of EUR 112 million, with strong growth (+ 32%) compared to 2006, where the number of cases has stopped at 17,000.

about these scams, implemented both through the removal or cloning of credit cards, what with identity theft or personal data, are considered particularly strong growth in the share of fraud regarding credit cards and loans Personal . Undoubtedly the most frequently used type of fraud is on purpose loans (76.26% of the total), although those on credit cards rose by 58% in 2007 to reach 12% of the total. The most affected are men, 80% of cases, aged between 31 and 40 years, although there is a growing percentage of teens who became involved in 2007 was 27.8%; the significant fact is that unfortunately most of the defrauded victims discover they have been cheated only after a month of this fraud.

is no doubt that these scams are due to a very prudent and responsible use of electronic means of payment by consumers, it also considered the fact that the retrieval of personal data has become pretty easy by using new technologies to harness the ingenuity of the people, while the banks do not have access to sufficient means of checking identification of customers.

Credit institutions, by themselves, are facing this problem with a lag, just think about the cloning of the ATM just some banking groups have moved, by inserting a microchip inside the card while other institutions have not taken this decision, continuing to expose their customers to ATMs ready dangers of cloning.

Consumers League points out that, as a citizen to be careful and vigilant, the risk is always there because, to be cheated, simply go to shopping in a supermarket where, previously, the POS has been tampered with by criminal hackers. The danger of being drained as soon as the salary or pension paid in the current account is a real tragedy for consumers, especially in these times, when you consider the fact that in most cases, also pass many months to get refunds because of quibbles bureaucratic, antiquated procedures, disinformation and lack of interest of employees who work in the bank.

to combat such fraud action is needed at 360 °, this can enhance repression, information, laws more effective and safest technologies. Cooperation is needed between national and European law enforcement agencies (for the prevention and suppression, which goes from strength to strength), institutions (for the adoption of effective rules), consumer associations (for the information) company (for the development of ever more secure). Consumers, for their part, must strive to protect your personal data through behaviors responsible. In this regard Consumers League offers a series of tips on how to defend themselves against credit fraud :

• Do not respond to any email asking you to enter credit card information in a form or page websites (phishing ).

· Chop, to make your data unreadable, payment receipts or any document from which you can infer ( trashing ).

· Check the movements of their card when buying online, because the coordinates Payment may be intercepted by some hacker ( sniffing).

• Do not call the emergency phone numbers sent via sms to block the card, but only those made in writing by the issuer at the time of activation: the numbers via sms hide fake call center used to steal card data ( vishing ).

For further information you can call the numbers on the Consumers League of Perugia 075.5004969 - 075.5000949 - Via Sicilia n. 55/57 (Perugia).

Consumers League of Perugia
President Mr. Damiano Marinelli