Proximity Card: Learn How to Avoid Scams

According to Abecs (Brazilian Association of Credit Card Companies and Services), approximately one in four business transactions involving credit cards take place. Projections are that by the end of 2022, this type of service will account for at least half of all card transactions in the country.

Convenience of paying with approach card Explains his relative success. Purchases of up to approximately 200 BRL can be made without the need to enter a password.

Despite this success, complaints about scams and technology-related scams are on the rise. According to Procon-SP, during November and December, a total of 80 complaints were registered, while January and February saw these numbers rise to 98 complaints.

The most common scam is for the criminal to pass a payment machine next to the victim’s pocket, wallet or coat. In such cases the person is distracted and does not notice the blow.

There are several ways to avoid these scams. Among them:

Avoid leaving the card in vulnerable places

Keeping cards in pockets, coats, bags, etc. will greatly reduce the risk of this type of fraud.

Use specific protective coverings

There are covers made of carbon fibre, plastic, and aluminum that promise to protect the card from strikes by blocking the signal and preventing contact with the device. In this case, payment is possible only by removing the protective cover. A good test to see if the device really works is to try to make a payment by holding the card close to the device. If there is no connection, the device is already working.

Leave your phone enabled for notifications

When you leave your cell phone enabled to receive notifications of your financial transactions with the card, in the event of fraud, you will be notified soon.

Pay attention to the amount entered on the device and check your account statement

When you have to insert the card, it is easier to see the value written into the terminal. When approaching, the machine is usually facing the seller, which makes it difficult to see the value; There are cases where the consumer gives the card to the seller so that he approaches it. Be careful, ask to see the amount entered, ask for the statement or look at the purchase notice on your cell phone and check the amount.

I fell for a scam, what do I do?

In this case, the guide is to contact the bank as soon as possible. The bank must then open a settlement process in order to check whether or not there is fraud.

According to the Consumer Protection Act, the financial institution is required to return the amount. If this does not happen, the consumer will have to contact the dealer. It is also possible to seek justice.

Enable and disable the service

It is important for the consumer to know that the card can have a rounding function only if the consumer requests a license. If you ask to enable, you can also request to disable the service whenever you want.

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