Today it is impossible to imagine life without bank cards. We use them to pay for purchases in stores, communications and the Internet, and utility bills. This is much more convenient than carrying cash in your wallet.

But along with such conveniences, there are also problems associated with fraud. Are there ways to help protect your funds from theft and what should you do to avoid becoming a victim of criminals?

Methods for protecting a bank card from fraudsters

And it all starts with simple rules and precautions.

ATMs

There are entire groups of professional criminals who steal money from bank cards - carders. The main ways to steal other people's data through an ATM:

• a special reading device attached to the card slot;
• using a fake keyboard that remembers the entered PIN code;
• installation of a small hidden camera.

To avoid falling for the tricks of scammers, use mainly ATMs located at banks. It is advisable that this be in a room where video surveillance is almost always carried out. If you need to withdraw money urgently, and the nearest ATM is in a shopping center, carefully inspect it - there should be no backlash, gaps, or suspicious buttons.

Online shopping

Make purchases only in online stores that use a secure connection.

Otherwise, fraudsters may obtain confidential information and withdraw money from the account. Modern browsers notify users if the connection is not secure.

Make purchases only in online stores that use a secure connection

SMS messages from unknown numbers

SMS and MMS messages may contain viruses, which, once on your device, gain access to all information. Do not click on the links contained therein or take any actions described there. This could be, for example, notifications about a card being blocked, which can only be unblocked by sending a PIN code in a return message. Be sure to call the bank and find out if the card has really been blocked. But under no circumstances should you send your password.

Card data storage

Never give out your card details to anyone, under any circumstances. If they call you and, introducing themselves as a bank employee, ask for a card number or password, do not rush to speak. It’s better to play it safe and call the bank yourself. Never keep your PIN in your wallet or pocket, or write it down anywhere. You just have to remember it.

Insurance

Purchasing will help you secure the money on your card insurance policy. The service will cost approximately 1,161 rubles. with a maximum compensation amount of 60 thousand rubles. The most expensive policy costs 5,310 rubles. and covers potential losses of 350 thousand rubles. The policy validity period is 1 year.

Bank card insurance will cost from 1,161 to 5,310 thousand rubles per year

Connecting notifications

Don’t skimp on paying for SMS notifications - this will make your life calmer. Banks send notifications about any operations carried out with the card: transfer, replenishment, payment. It will cost about 50–70 rubles. per month. In addition, some banks have a push notification system that works via the Internet, provided that you have a mobile bank connected.

RFID protection

Fraudsters can scan other people's cards using a special device and then withdraw money from them. This problem can be solved using RFID protection. It is a plate installed in a wallet that blocks signals from fraudulent devices and thus prevents information from being read.

Using bank cards is safe, but only on the condition that the user himself takes a number of measures to protect his funds, although there are currently several fraudulent schemes that allow you to withdraw funds from bank cards without the consent and direct participation of its owner. But the user can protect his funds stored on the card; to do this, he just needs to know what kind of funds the scammers are using. Let's look at how to protect bank card from scammers.

Skimming

This scheme has long been known to criminals, law enforcement officers, and cardholders. However, it still works to this day. The scheme involves fraudsters equipping self-service devices with an overhead keyboard and a reading device that is installed in the ATM card reader. Thus, when trying to withdraw funds from the card, fraudsters receive the PIN code of the card and its information, which is read from the magnetic strip of the plastic. With this data you can withdraw other people's money.

How to protect a Sberbank card from fraudsters in this case? Here you need to remember basic security measures - withdraw money only from ATMs installed in bank branches or in places that are guarded or equipped with a video surveillance system.

Calls and SMS from bank employees

This is the most primitive method of fraud, which, oddly enough, works flawlessly. What is the essence of the method? An SMS message about blocking the card is sent to the victim’s phone number, or the attacker calls a mobile phone and introduces himself as a bank employee. Actually, it doesn’t really matter how the fraudster contacts the cardholder; by the way, in most cases the fraudster doesn’t even know whether you have a card or which bank services you. The attacker’s goal is to find out the plastic card details and withdraw cash.

Example of an overlay keyboard

For example, you received an SMS from an unknown number with the text that your card is blocked or funds were debited from it, and you are asked to call back to the specified number. In such a situation, the user begins to panic and fulfills all the requests of the “bank employee,” and he, in turn, tries to find out information about your card, including its balance number, CVC2 / CVV2 code, and other information.

The protection of funds on bank cards depends largely on how correctly you keep all its data, secret and under no circumstances will you disclose secret data to anyone. In addition, bank employees inform their clients about card blocking via SMS only from official numbers; Sberbank, in particular, sends messages only from number 900. The same applies to calls.

Please note that bank employees do not ask the client for a PIN code, and other data they identify the client by the last digits, card number and code word or passport data.

Internet banking

Most of the bank's card clients use remote access to their account through their personal account in Internet banking. This is not only a convenient way to send payments and transfers, as well as track your balance and use other bank services, but also a huge risk.

How the fraudulent scheme works: you do not go to the official resource, but to a copy of the site created by scammers to gain access to the personal account of the bank card owner. The design of the trap site is not much different from the original, but you can still find differences, although not all users are so attentive that they may suspect a trap. Typically, the user accesses these sites from third-party resources using the provided links. Next, he tries to enter his personal account, enters his login and password, then the code from the SMS message, thus the attacker gains access to his personal account.

This method of fraud is called “phishing”; in most cases, scammers send emails to potential victims on behalf of the bank and ask them to follow a link to perform any transactions.

How to protect yourself in this case - log into your personal account only from the official website of the bank. Then pay attention to the site design, pay attention to every little detail. If you are not sure that you have visited the bank’s website, and you have any suspicions that third parties may have access to your account, dial the number hotline and block your card, then change your identification data to access your personal account.

How money is stolen through Sberbank mobile banking

Another way to steal money from a card is through Sberbank’s mobile banking; almost all of the bank’s clients use it. In fact, Sberbank card protection from fraud is quite high; here the bank has taken care of its clients. However, attackers are inventing quite sophisticated methods of theft.

How money is stolen from cards using SMS messages. There are not many options here, the first of them is changing your mobile phone number. If you change your phone number, then it is not enough for you to simply link the service to the new number, because notification is carried out to two numbers. Mobile operators sell re-blocked numbers to new customers. Thus, the information can be sent to the fraudster, who, with its help, can easily withdraw all the money from the card, or rather, transfer it to his account. Another method is mobile phone theft, here the scammer simply steals the phone, sends a balance request to the 900 number, then makes a transfer.

How to protect your funds. Firstly, if you change your phone number, then immediately contact the bank so as not to simply link new number, but also disable the old one. Secondly, do not leave your mobile phone unattended; if the device’s functions allow it, set a password to lock it, that is, without entering the code, a third party cannot remove the lock. And if you discover that your phone has been stolen, immediately call the operator and block the card.

Instructions for working with Internet banking on Sberbank Online

Payments on the Internet

Many active Internet users prefer to make purchases in online stores and, accordingly, pay for them immediately. You can make a payment directly from a bank card, which is convenient for both the seller and the buyer. For scammers, this is another reason to profit from inattentive buyers.

The fraudulent scheme is quite sophisticated; they create a copy of the online store’s website and take full prepayment for the order. It is quite difficult to distinguish such a resource, especially for those who have never used its services before. However, you should first of all pay attention to the pricing policy of the resource; if they seem unrealistically low to you, then this is the first reason to think about the fact of fraud. As a rule, you can find links to such third-party online stores on forums in in social networks and many other sources.

The protection of bank cards, or more precisely, the funds on them, depends only on the owner, because in this case it will be impossible to return the funds, for the reason that the owner himself voluntarily transferred them to the attackers. Therefore, be careful when shopping online, try to use the same resources. If possible, do not leave 100% prepayment, order goods by cash on delivery or courier delivery, so that you have the opportunity to look at the product on the spot, evaluate its quality, and only then pay money for it.

Please note that to pay for purchases in the online store you will only need the card number, CVC2/CVV2 code, owner's name, expiration date, other information will not be required.

Protecting cards with NFC chip

Today, banks often offer clients cards with PayWave and PayPass contactless payment technology. These cards are equipped with an NFC chip, thanks to which the card can transfer data to POS terminals with one touch. In simple words, if your card supports such instant payment technology, then you can pay for goods and services in one touch, and if the transaction amount does not exceed 1000 rubles, then you will not need to enter a PIN code.

Today, a new fraudulent scheme is successfully operating and it looks like this: attackers in public places, using a POS terminal, look for cards with an NFC chip. For example, such a scheme can be carried out in the subway, an attacker just needs to take the device and infiltrate the crowd, the device looks for a card with an NFC chip, when the device gives a characteristic signal, the fraudster enters an amount of up to 1000 rubles and presses the payment button. Finding the attacker will be extremely difficult in the crowd.

In this case, it makes sense for owners to purchase a bank card case with protection. Thanks to RFID technology, the case completely blocks the card, that is, it becomes impossible to read information from it, and you won’t even be able to pay with the card in a store until you remove the card from the case.

The cost of such a protective case with RFID technology starts from 100 rubles.

General methods of protection

Indeed, it is almost impossible to describe all scams, because attackers are improving and honing their skills. It is quite easy to fall into the network of attackers, and none of us is immune from this. For example, a fraudster can disable an ATM by simply covering the hole for dispensing money with tape; when trying to withdraw cash, the user does not receive money, and walks away from the ATM trying to attract someone to help, and the fraudster peels off the tape and leaves the scene of the crime. There are many similar ways to take possession of other people’s funds.

However, the user must be extremely vigilant because this is his own funds. Firstly, use those ATMs that are located in protected areas or directly in banks. Secondly, if your card is stuck in an ATM, block it immediately. Thirdly, never to anyone Do not share your PIN, write it down on paper, or store it in your wallet next to your cards.

Be careful when making payments online, and do not send anyone information about your card, its details, or the secret code from SMS messages. If possible, log into your personal online banking account only from your own computer, because some browsers save passwords.

What to do if funds are missing from your card

To begin with, it must be said that you should not save on SMS messages; usually SMS notifications are carried out on a paid basis. Some people don't think it's necessary to pay to be informed about every transaction; in fact, it is necessary. For example, if you received an SMS about funds being written off from your card, you can return them and identify the attacker “hot on their heels.”

Protective case for Sberbank card

So, your money has been debited, you have received an SMS notification, immediately block the card and contact the bank to refuse the last transaction. Then ask for a report indicating the recipient's account number, then write a statement to the police, law enforcement officials must initiate a criminal case for fraud.

By the way, you should really think about how to protect your credit card, because in this case you will have to pay the loan to the bank in full, because it was you who entered into the agreement with it. The investigation and trial may drag on for a long period, during which you will have to pay interest and principal. Only then will you have to collect the entire amount from the scammer.
Thus, you can protect your money yourself if you follow basic security measures. If you suspect any fraudulent activity, block the card; by the way, if you use a mobile bank, you can do this in a few seconds using an SMS command. And never give plastic into the hands of strangers, and also do not provide details.

Keeping money on a card is very convenient. But this is associated with certain risks, and if you do not follow basic safety rules, you will have to say goodbye to your accumulated funds very quickly. the site shares tips on how to protect your bank card from scammers.

How to protect your bank card from scammers

According to criminologists, the volume of fraudulent transactions to write off clients’ bank accounts annually exceeds 100 billion rubles - an astronomical figure. Fraudsters act cunningly, taking advantage of the shortcomings of the modern law enforcement system and its weak technical base - they write off small amounts of 70-100 rubles. Because of such a trifle, not everyone will go to the police, but if the figure is multiplied by a couple of hundred, then for the fraudster it turns out to be an impressive amount.

Remember privacy

Protecting personal information is the basics that will allow you to protect and secure your card from fraudsters and reduce the risk of spending your own funds.

Do not give your PIN code and details to strangers

This is one of the basic rules, which, despite all its obviousness, for some reason is not always observed.

The worst option is to write the PIN code on the card itself or on a piece of paper that is always kept next to it (for example, in the same case). In this case, the attacker will only have to go to the ATM and withdraw everything that is in the account if he gets your card at his disposal.

It's not a good idea to give your PIN to the store clerk, waiter, or neighbor boy (if you're asking him to withdraw some money). It is worth protecting the combination, which is actually the key to your wallet, with special care.

If it so happens that the PIN code has been compromised, then it is urgently necessary to change it. A number of banks allow you to do this even by phone.

If you think that the data printed on the plastic – the card’s “expiration” date, the owner’s name and three numbers on the other side (CVC code) – are needed only for “reference” purposes, then you are mistaken. This data allows you to remotely identify means of payment and make a payment using it.

If the attacker has the card itself or its full data, he will be able to withdraw money, alternatively through an online transfer to an anonymous wallet or by making a purchase in a fake online store.

Be careful when sharing information to accept payment for online sales. If you are offered to transfer money, give only the card number. The remaining details are not necessary.

You need to take special care of the CVC code. For online identification, it plays the role of a PIN code. Never, under any circumstances, post a scan or photo of your card in the public domain.

Do not voice codes from SMS

This is also a classic. Fraudsters use various methods of social engineering to cash out their victim’s card by hook or by crook.

For example, they contact the cardholder and announce to him that he has won the lottery. And now they supposedly require full details to credit the prize. After some time, the victim’s phone receives an SMS with a code, which the attackers also request. And the owner of the plastic card happily reports it, not suspecting that he actually helped them make a transfer from their card to another or even gave them access to their Internet bank.

If such a situation occurs, and you start receiving SMS from your bank, do not rush to tell anyone, but carefully read what operation you are confirming.

Important: some particularly “advanced” criminals can use special equipment to intercept SMS from the bank, so it is better not to disclose your card details to anyone.

Don't save passwords on your computer

If you actively use remote banking on the Internet, follow a number of simple rules:

• Do not agree to the browser's offer to save your password or card details. They may be removed from the server.
• Do not save passwords on the computers of strangers (Internet cafes, friends, etc.) and even on your work computer.
• If unauthorized persons have access to your passwords, change them immediately.
• For preventive purposes, it is recommended to change passwords at least once every 2-3 months.

Be careful with contactless payments

Paying with one touch is convenient, but not entirely safe. If the card is lost, anyone who finds the card will be able to pay with it in the store. A few trips and the balance will be exhausted.

There are several ways to protect yourself from this:

• Disable contactless payment, leaving only authorization by PIN code;
• Set a limit on the amount of payment - by default it is 1000 rubles, lower it to 500 rubles, and even to 100.

Be sure to set up SMS notifications. If you lose your card, you will know immediately about unauthorized transactions.

If convenience is important, use special protective covers for cards - they are inexpensive and provide reliable protection.

Most common theft Money I received PayPass from bank cards in the capital's metro - where there is a huge crowd of people. Fraudsters purchase readers that read information from a payment instrument and discreetly place it next to a bag or clothing; transactions up to 1 thousand rubles are successful. Be carefull!

Do not open suspicious MMS and links

If you receive a message on your smartphone from an unknown sender, especially with an enticing, “teaser” message, do not rush to open it. If you open it, do not follow the links, especially short ones. There is a risk of running viruses on your smartphone that intercept information and transmit it to their “masters.”

Contrary to popular belief, even Apple can come under attack from such a virus.

Danger can come from anywhere: SMS, MMS, messengers. Stay vigilant!

Pay attention to the sender's number and address

Familiar numbers are no less dangerous. Modern technologies do not stand still, and scammers have learned to “mimic” - or rather, forge messages and send them on behalf of official representatives.

For example, they can create the same email address as the Federal Tax Service, but with a change in one character in the name or with a different domain zone. The letter will contain a link leading to an infected resource, or a virus file will simply be attached.

Attackers may try to scare the client in order to extract card details from him. For example, they will send him a message that a huge fine has been imposed on him or that he is being summoned to court. Or, on the contrary, they will report a “win” in the lottery.

Some scammers manage to purchase toll free numbers, starting from 8-800, and begin calling victims, introducing themselves as bank employees. It’s very easy to check whether they’re calling you on the hotline: just go to the bank’s official website and compare the numbers. If you receive a call from someone else, disconnect immediately.

Other attackers spoof operator numbers. For example, instead of number 900, a message may come from number 9OO, in which instead of zeros there is an English O. Or instead of a small English l (el) in the name Alfabank, a capital I (ai) may be written - in some fonts these letters are indistinguishable.

If the contents of an email seem strange or suspicious, the best thing to do is simply ignore it.

Use trusted ATMs

It will not describe in detail how fraudsters counterfeit cards by reading data from magnetic tape using skimmers and other technical devices, nor how they obtain PIN codes by using keypad overlays. Let us only note: such a possibility exists, and such devices are easy to obtain on the “black market”. Having received the data, the fraudster will be able to withdraw money without having the card itself.

Such devices are installed on ATMs that are located in crowded and poorly lit places - in underground passages, on the streets, in the basements of large shopping centers, etc. The older the ATM model, the easier it is to install skimmers on it.

Therefore, in order to protect your money, it is best to withdraw money, pay for services or top up your card account at terminals that are located in the bank itself under the gun of many video cameras. Or in large shopping centers, where ATMs are monitored by security guards.

How to secure a bank card online

The lion's share of fraudulent transactions occurs on the World Wide Web. The Internet still remains fertile ground for those who want to make money by abusing the trust of ordinary users.

Use antivirus

The advice follows from the previous one. If you read email from a computer, be sure to enable the email scanning module in your antivirus settings. If from a smartphone, then purchase a special anti-virus program for mobile devices. The license is not expensive, but the benefits from it are enormous.

The antivirus will not only prevent the downloading of dubious files, but will also protect against outright fake letters.

Set up two-factor authentication

If possible, provide additional identification by voice, face (photo), or fingerprint. Even if your smartphone gets into the hands of a stranger, and he somehow gains access to mobile application bank (for example, will use hacking programs), then he will not be able to fake biometric data.

Log out of your Internet Banking account

After finishing your online banking session, do not forget to click on the Log Out button. Especially if it's someone else's computer. There are often cases of theft of funds when the cardholder logged in to his personal account, but did not log out. And the one who sat down after him simply sent himself his money.

Just closing the tab is not enough either. If you return to the page, for example, through the History tab, the session will be restored back.

Some banks, for example, Tinkoff and Sberbank, automatically “log out” the client after 10 minutes of inactivity, even if he did not close the tab - this helps protect the account from unauthorized access. However, you should not rely on this. It is better to log out of the online account yourself.

Use virtual cards to pay

If possible, do not use your primary bank card when paying for goods and services online. 3D-Secure technology reliably protects against data leakage, but you should definitely take precautions.

To protect yourself, use backup options for online payments, such as an unembossed or spare card, and keep a minimum amount of money on it. Or even use a virtual double. In this case, it will be easier to save money.

Double check and call back

Be careful! At the slightest suspicion that you are being deceived, call the bank. Remember that real bank employees will not find out any confidential data from you, but on the contrary, they will even start stopping you if you start dictating card details or reporting the PIN code value.

The maximum that they can ask you for is your passport data and code word, as well as information that only you can know (for additional identification), for example, the available credit limit on the card.

Do not hesitate to interrupt the caller and ask him for his first and last name and position. It may turn out that among the bank employees there will be an unscrupulous employee.

Take an example from Sberbank - share information

The largest bank constantly updates information on new methods of fraud on its official page and promptly notifies its customers on how to secure their account. Follow his example - be sure to let your friends, parents and grandmother read this article. No one is immune from fraud, and in the age of high technology, the tools of attackers are becoming more and more sophisticated. Take care of your financial security and do not give scammers access to your money; simple steps will allow you to protect your bank card from scammers.

A bank card is a convenient payment instrument that allows you to pay for goods and services, as well as withdraw cash from ATMs around the world. However, even the most reliable security systems that banks are constantly improving cannot guarantee the safety of customer funds.

We will tell you how to protect your Sberbank card from fraudsters in this article.

In most cases, purchases in online stores are paid using a bank card. It is enough to enter the card number, holder’s full name, expiration date and security code (CVC2/CVV2) of the card on the website to transfer the required amount.

This method is indeed very convenient, but along with all the advantages, it is fraught with a real threat: without taking precautions, your bank card data may end up in the hands of fraudsters.

• pay for goods and services only on trusted sites and online stores; before making a purchase on an unknown site, read reviews about it
• do not pay for purchases using other people’s devices - this will help maintain the confidentiality of your personal data
• never pay for purchases if you access the Internet through an unsecured Wi-Fi access point
• do not make purchases from public places where there may be cameras installed that record the information you enter
• beware of fake sites that completely copy the appearance of the original, but have discrepancies in the address
• give preference to online stores that use a secure https connection
• if you often make purchases online, get a separate card for these purposes and do not keep a large amount on it
• install an antivirus program on your computer
• If you have the opportunity to pay via online banking, then it is better to use it, since these services use increased security measures
• If it is possible to pay for your purchase via PayPal, choose this option
• try to choose sites for shopping that support 3D-Secure technology - this protocol is designed for secure payment by card for goods and services on the Internet

How to protect a Sberbank card from SMS fraud?

Recently, to be more convincing, scammers have begun sending SMS messages masquerading as messages from Sberbank: they contain telephone numbers that visually resemble the bank’s official numbers, and they are signed on behalf of the bank’s services. The scammers' goal is to gain access to card data.

As a rule, such false messages inform about an allegedly completed transfer of funds, about blocking a card, or contain other information that encourages the cardholder to call back the number specified in the SMS. The scammers introduce themselves as Sberbank employees and insist on the need to carry out some actions with the card (unblock, cancel the transfer, etc.). To do this, the client is asked to go to the nearest ATM and follow the instructions of the “employee”. Trusting people personally transfer their funds to cards and electronic wallets of scammers or connect their cards to the service Mobile bank to the phone of scammers, which allows the latter to use other people’s money at their own discretion.

You can distinguish a fraudulent SMS from a bank message. Here are some tips:

• Fraudsters do not know which card and which bank the client has. Sberbank always indicates the last digits of the card number in its messages.
• If you need to contact Sberbank, its messages always suggest calling the customer center at the phone numbers indicated on the bank card itself.
• Official Sberbank SMS messages are sent from the short number 900.

!!! Sberbank does not send SMS messages about card blocking, and in a telephone conversation a bank employee will never ask for confidential information and codes associated with clients’ cards.

How to insure funds on a Sberbank card?

Insurance protects funds from the most common risks. Your money will be insured in case of:

• Unauthorized withdrawal from a card by fraudulent means. You won’t even need to know what carding, phishing, or skimming are.
• Obtaining a card and PIN code by third parties through the use of violence or threats of violence
• Criminals using a fake card with all the details
• Damage and/or loss of a bank card
• Cash theft within two hours of withdrawing money from an ATM

The insurance applies to all Sberbank bank cards linked to your account. Insurance services are provided by the insurance company Sberbank Insurance.

The cost of insurance depends on the amount of insurance protection (sum insured). Insurance with coverage up to 30,000 rubles will cost 700 rubles per year; up to 120,000 rubles - 1,710 rubles per year; up to 250,000 rubles - 3,510 rubles per year.

You can apply for insurance online at online.sberbankins.ru or at a bank branch.

THE ENTIRE DIRECTORY OF SBERBANK DEPOSITERS

Shielded case and wallet for reliable protection of your bank card and smartphone from fraudsters

It is possible to protect your bank card from remote reading in several ways, which is important for regular users of plastic cards, which allow you to pay in most stores, as well as numerous other retail outlets, without having to enter a PIN code. A protective case for a bank card against reading will be the most reliable, cheap and convenient way to avoid such problems!

Plastic bank cards are commonplace for ordinary people today. But now they are often released together with special technology that allows you to pay at all points of sale without inserting your card into a regular terminal.

How to save money on a bank card from scammers?

This type of plastic gets its new name - NFC card. This new product appeared relatively recently. Its main feature of the card is the following fact - it is quite possible to pay with such a card for small purchases without having to enter a PIN code. The sequence of all actions performed looks like this:

• a person makes his purchase as usual;
• evenly brings the card to a special electronic reader with its back side no closer than 5 centimeters;
• then enters the PIN code if the purchase amount exceeds 1,000 rubles;
• will receive tangible audio confirmation of the completion and completion of a financial transaction.

This plastic is quite convenient. In addition, it is quite easy to be able to obtain it in Russia. Cards of this type are actively issued by respectable payment VISA systems and Master Card, they are also consistently produced in a number of domestic commercial and financial institutions, but a practical protective case for a bank card will come in handy to protect your property!

The usual methods of committing fraud for modern contactless cards are completely irrelevant, because unauthorized persons, as well as sellers, do not interact with plastic cards at all. The absence of such a serious need to insert it into a regular card reader will also eliminate the possibility of copying data using any special devices that are installed in terminals.

Contactless cards are now a fairly safe type of plastic. Now there is an unpleasant opportunity to become a classic victim of fraudsters, because the development of technology allows completely unscrupulous citizens to implement a special scanner, with the help of which it is possible to write off money from any contactless card by persons who are within a radius of 0.6-0.8 meters and to conduct financial transactions to the fraudster You don’t need your card number or PIN code.

The essence of the combination is the ability to read special signals produced by the card. A weak and unreliable consolation for cardholders is that carrying out such actions will not allow fraudsters to withdraw large sums, because without entering a PIN code, transactions of up to 1,000 rubles are possible.

But even the loss little money will be quite unpleasant for every person. Law-abiding citizens often wonder what kind of effective ways protecting cards from theft of funds. Here are the main methods to secure a plastic card:

• non-fake microchip;
• regular automatic change bank number the transaction being carried out to implement the payment - reducing the likelihood of fraudsters reading your personal data;
• availability of a limit on transactions without using a PIN code;
• A shielding case for bank cards is the most reliable way to protect a plastic card from reading all the information due to a special coating that will prevent fraudsters from downloading information from your microchip through a scanner.

How does the shielding cover protect?

A good way to prevent theft would be a shielding cover. Thanks to the special design, the plastic card will be perfectly protected from unauthorized access.

It is an ordinary plastic case, but at its core it has the necessary metal layer, which allows it to efficiently absorb radio waves and block the possibility of radio communication between the card and the reading device. This case also helps perfectly and will keep your card intact and protect it from the possibility of mechanical damage or moisture getting on its surface.

Wallet with rfid protection

If you are uncomfortable wearing a plastic case, then you can instead purchase a leather wallet with rfid protection, with the technology of placing various personal information on special built-in chips, which can be transferred to the appropriate scanner. Chips can be embedded in bank cards, passports, or other documents. Fraudsters can take advantage of the technology, easily reading the necessary data with a scanner at a distance or gaining unauthorized access to your card.

To prevent any potential scammers from stealing your funds or using your personal information, the company offers to buy a wallet with the innovative STOP RFID function from popular collections.

When making such wallets, special radio-absorbing materials will be used, which reliably block all scanner signals when your wallet is closed.

Wallet with protection, these are the following options:

• Blocking from the possibility of any third-party devices while your card is in your wallet.
• The most reliable protection against demagnetization, even if you are near a source that emits strong magnetic or radio radiation.
• Absolute protection of your phone from its constant tracking - simply by putting your mobile phone in a wallet with active RFID protection, you can easily interrupt the signal - this useful feature will work perfectly when conducting important confidential conversations or from unauthorized surveillance.

Buying a protective case for a bank card will be a necessary condition to increase the reliability of protection, because in the conditions of dynamic city life the consequences can be the most unexpected and unpleasant, and you will not even have an idea about where and when the amount of money was withdrawn from you!

Protecting the card with foil

Buying a shielding case for a bank card is not always affordable, because it cannot always be found on sale. A great way to replace a wallet with protection from reading plastic cards is to use foil - just wrap your plastic card or consider a small case. Foil can adequately guarantee you the absence of unauthorized access!

Where can I buy a protective case for a bank card?

The best way to buy a protective rfid case for credit cards is in specialized stores and be sure to check them to avoid defects or other discrepancies. Be sure to consult with specialists who can consistently resolve all your doubts! Despite the high cost, the cases offered will ensure your peace of mind and the absence of the need to contact law enforcement agencies!

Fear of everything new is a fairly common phenomenon. A person is often frightened even by those changes that ultimately change life for the better.

How to protect a bank card?

We have systematized the most popular fears regarding contactless payment cards and tried to explain why paying with Visa payWave is no more dangerous than regular cards, and much more practical than cash.

Sometimes new solutions appear on the market, in the creation of which developers focus on functionality and consumer properties and do not take into account possible dangers. Remember the recent past, when microwave ovens and mobile phones were just starting to appear on sale. Only the lazy did not attribute almost deadly radiation to these inventions. Later, passions subsided, and now it is almost impossible to imagine our life without a smartphone in our pocket and a microwave in the kitchen.

Sometimes it can be very difficult to assess how protected a particular innovative technology is from various threats. There is no need to be ashamed of fears; you can and should fight them.

A contactless card can be counterfeited by reading data from it

For example, this can supposedly be done without the owner’s knowledge using a powerful reader.

Unlike many other contactless cards that are subject to such a threat, Visa payWave contactless payment cards in Russia are based on microprocessor technology and have all the advantages of chip cards.

First, to confirm each transaction, Visa payWave contactless cards use a unique code that depends on the time of the transaction, point of sale, transaction amount and other parameters. Intercepting data in such a situation is useless because this information cannot be used to confirm other transactions.

Secondly, to generate such a code, reliable cryptographic algorithms and keys are used, which are stored in a protected memory area of ​​the Visa payWave microprocessor.

From a contactless card, you can quietly read personal data, which will be enough to make purchases on the Internet without the knowledge of the owner

Visa payWave payment cards do not contain information about the holder’s passport data, address, bank account number or the amount of available funds. And it’s not so easy to read data unnoticed: the fraudster needs to get closer to the card at a distance of up to four centimeters. It turns out that he must know which pocket the card is in, place the equipment correctly and not give himself away. Such manipulations require skills similar to those of professional pickpockets.

Even if an attacker is able to obtain information about a Visa payWave card, it will be very, very limited. This data does not include any financial information and does not contain the CVV and CVV2 codes used to confirm magnetic stripe or online transactions.

Most Russian banks additionally support Verified by Visa technology, which implies the use of a one-time password to confirm the security of transactions on the Internet.

A contactless card can be stolen and someone can easily withdraw money or make purchases, because when paying with such a card you do not need to confirm your identity

Not only payment cards, but also cash are susceptible to theft or loss. The difference is that if the Visa payWave card is lost, the holder still has the opportunity to contact the bank and block it, and, if necessary, challenge the transactions in order to return the funds. Unfortunately, this cannot be done if cash is lost.

The Visa payWave card can independently control limits even without connecting to the bank’s system. This tool allows banks to limit the number of contactless transactions made in a row without cardholder verification, as well as the amount for which such a purchase can be made. By default it is 1,000 rubles¹.

Intelligence agencies can collect information about the movement of the contactless card owner

It can be read by all scanning devices at airports, at the entrances to shops and supermarkets. Or not?

The idea of ​​such card tracking seems implausible, because Visa payWave itself does not emit radio waves, so the dialogue with the reader takes place at a short distance (up to 4 cm). It turns out that to use contactless card as a means of tracking a user's movements is much more complex than, say, a mobile phone, which sends out a fairly strong radio signal.

When paying for purchases with a contactless card, double debiting may occur

Similar concerns arise when using universal terminals that accept all types of bank cards. You can accidentally touch the card to the terminal or touch it, as a result, payment will be processed first by the chip or magnetic stripe, and then by contactless technology. This fear has no basis.

To make purchases, the cashier first enters the required amount, only after that the card is applied, data is exchanged and the transaction is completed. If you apply a contactless card to a reader that is not ready to work with it (for example, after making a purchase or without entering the amount), the transaction or re-charge will not occur.

Paying using a smartphone is unsafe, because if it is stolen, the attacker will be able to write off funds from the account

Doing this is no more dangerous than using a regular card. Visa payment solutions for smartphones being introduced in Russia require activation of the phone locking function. Simply put, when you pay with your phone, you need to unlock it. In addition, to make such payments, the same security mechanisms are used as in conventional contactless cards, which we discussed earlier.

Hackers can hack or infect a smartphone with a computer virus, after which they will gain access to the account

Visa's smartphone payment solutions have several security features. In addition to the mechanisms already mentioned, for payment by mobile phone an alternative card number with a limited scope is used. For example, it cannot be used for online purchases.

Payment data on the phone is limited in terms of time of use, number and amount of allowed transactions. They are updated regularly, which makes stealing them simply a pointless waste of resources.

1. Payment with Visa payWave cards is made by touching a special Visa payWave terminal; depending on its settings, a contact payment method may be required. Visa International Service Association Corporation provides banks with the opportunity to issue Visa payment cards, use the specified product and/or provide this service, among others, in accordance with applicable law. Issuing banks have the right to set restrictions on products, services and their use.

The “great minds” of this world are not against “warming up” their hands at the expense of us mere mortals. And very often the means of fraud becomes credit card. Losing or stealing a card will allow “offenders” to use it, unless, of course, you have time to block it. What to do in this case? Is it possible to somehow protect your credit card, which has practically become a member of the family? There is a way out if you connect to the credit card insurance and protection service and usecredit card security code each time you use it expense transactions . Thus, if a credit card is lost or stolen, the funds on it can be returned.

The credit card insurance service is currently offered only large banks Russia. Unfortunately, there is no generally accepted standard insurance contract yet. But there is hope that in a couple of years this service will be distributed everywhere, because the benefits are already visible to the naked eye today. So let's look at them.

1. If, for example, unforeseen circumstances happen to you while on vacation, credit card insurance will allow you to maintain peace of mind, because the lost money can be recovered and the card restored immediately upon returning home.

2. With the help of insurance, the cardholder will be provided with all kinds of assistance in any country.

3. You can take out insurance without providing additional documents, and it does not affect withdrawals and payments on the card.

4. As for paying for insurance, the cost of 60-90 rubles per month, I think, will completely pay for the card in the event of its loss or theft.

5. And finally, as in any insurance, you can appoint a person who will receive the money instead of you, in insurance parlance, the beneficiary.

Let's look at some of the nuances of credit card insurance.

ANDSo, you lost your credit card or became a victim of a thief. Be prepared for the fact that calling the bank will not be enough. After an insured event has occurred, you need to allocate time to write a statement about the loss to the bank (the deadlines are clearly limited) and to collect all kinds of certificates, such as copies of the theft statement, an interrogation report, a resolution to initiate a case, etc. As you know, the bank does not spare paper; about a dozen certificates are needed. But if you are abroad, you will have to deal with the local police. An investigation will be carried out to ensure that you are not defrauding the bank, so I do not advise you to cheat. And here are some more points:

— if the card is lost and the investigation establishes that you were under the influence of drugs and alcohol, do not count on insurance;

— the insurance amount is annual, that is, losing the card twice a year is not profitable;

— if the mother-in-law withdrew money from the card, this is not an insured event;

- if you personally put a credit card in your wife’s pocket and while you were parking, your missus lost it, alas - it’s your own fault, don’t extend your hand to the insurance.

It is also important that if half a million was withdrawn from you, it is not a fact that you will receive it all, the coverage is limited. In general, be careful and careful, the credit card is registered in your name, do not try to shift responsibility for it onto your healthy head.

We sorted out the insurance issue. Let's look at what credit card protection is. So, banks are trying to make their credit cards as secure as possible, primarily against counterfeiting. Several methods of protection have been invented for this:

- magnetic stripe. However, today this is no longer an obstacle for an intelligent person with “hands”. In this case, banks offer cards with ultraviolet ink or small patterns. The equipment for printing is expensive, so scammers can’t afford it, but you’ll also have to pay more than usual to produce the card.

— data embossing, those.

How to protect your bank card

The numbers and letters on the map are convex. It's hard to fake it.

- use of microchips, which allow you to save data on expense transactions, read information and other information on the card. It is almost impossible to fake such a minicomputer.

And finally, a credit card security code is needed to carry out debit transactions on the card, for example, via the Internet. When making a payment for services or a purchase through an online store, to confirm the transaction, the bank will require you to enter a security code that only you know. If the card is lost or stolen, the attacker will not be able to carry out such operations.

The result is this, with insurance and protection of credit cards, as well as the use credit card security code We try to protect you as much as possible from the attacks of scammers and thieves.

Maria Kshevitskaya,

loan officer

aver.ru → Interesting → A new way to steal bank card PIN codes

Very simple and physically original. The principle of military trace detection systems.

According to experts, the use of a PIN code accounts for approximately 5% of card fraud cases. Banks almost never return funds stolen in this way, believing that the client himself is to blame for compromising the secret number.

Scientists from the University of California at San Diego studied new way theft of bank card PIN codes - using infrared cameras that measure the temperature on the ATM keypad. At the USENIX Security Symposium, researchers presented a report on the work "Hot Moment: A Study of the Effectiveness of Attacks Using Thermal Scanners."

Inspired by the publications of Michael Zalewski, they suggested that it would be much easier for criminals to steal bank card PIN codes using warm (infrared) scanning technology than using traditional video cameras.

This method has many advantages. Unlike using conventional cameras, the system remains undetected, and the ability to automate the process using software makes the task much easier.

The pads of the fingers make the keys that the client pressed warmer than the rest. The temperature also allows you to determine the sequence of pressing - the “hottest” key was pressed last.

Using the reverse sequence, scammers were able to find out the correct PIN code.

How to protect a Sberbank bank card from fraudsters

However, if the user also enters the amount of money that he wanted to withdraw from the card, then the attackers’ task becomes more complicated, SecurityLab reports.

Experts examined two types of ATMs - one with a metal keyboard (Dynasystem 00-101088-008B), and the second with a plastic one (Diebold 19-019062-001M REV1). Metal keys made it more difficult to read the temperature of the keys using an infrared camera, as the image was accompanied by excessive "noise". Plastic buttons turned out to be less problematic.

The PIN code could easily be stolen by a person who was standing in line at the ATM behind the person who had just made a transaction with the card. In 80% of cases, the hacking attempt was successful.

In cases where the interval between ATM users is one minute, the chance of getting a PIN code reaches 50%.

How infrared scanners steal bank card PIN codes.

Bank cards are convenient: using a card, you don’t have to carry large amounts of cash with you and at the same time always have the opportunity to make the necessary purchase, pay for services, transfer money to relatives or friends.

Even if the card is lost, the funds in the bank account can be saved if you call the issuing bank in a timely manner and block the card.

However, plastic cards, being a convenient way to access money, are the object of special attention from criminals who are inventing new ways to steal this money.

Banks and payment systems are constantly working to improve the security level of payments made using bank cards. Meanwhile, scammers are also becoming more inventive and technically sophisticated. To protect cards from attacks, owners of “plastic” need to know the basic security rules and follow them.

Card protection for online payments

The most common is fraud with bank cards on the Internet, because it is with them that a huge number of buyers pay in virtual stores today. Often the fraudster does not even need the card itself - enough information about it (card number, CVV2/CVC2 code, SMS password confirming the data and card transaction).

To protect your plastic card data from fraudsters when paying for goods and services online, you should follow the following security measures.

• Make payments only on the websites of well-known stores and companies.
• To pay for purchases online, use a separate bank card, not the one on which the bulk of your funds are stored.
• Transfer to your card for online payments as much money as you plan to spend on purchases.
• Make sure your anti-virus software is up to date on the devices you use to make online payments.
• Limit the ability to use your main bank card outside the region of your actual location.

Card protection when using ATMs and terminals

When using ATMs and terminals, it is very important to prevent third parties from finding out your PIN code and gaining access to money. To do this, you must follow the following recommendations.

• Never enter your PIN on devices that are not intended for payments and cash withdrawals.
• When entering your PIN code, always cover the keyboard with your hand so that people nearby cannot spy on it or record it from hidden cameras installed by criminals.
• After receiving cash from an ATM, do not forget to pick up the payment card from the card reader, and if you forget it, block it immediately.
• To carry out payment transactions through an ATM or terminal, try not to resort to the help of strangers who may pose as bank employees.
• If the funds were not issued by the ATM, but you received an SMS message about their debit, take the card from the card reader and immediately contact your bank.
• If possible, avoid ATMs located in crowded areas, especially if you are withdrawing large amounts of money.

  Theft from Sberbank cards: find and neutralize

  Try to use ATMs in bank branches or inside the buildings of organizations and institutions.

• Install daily limit to withdraw cash from ATMs.
• When using an ATM, pay attention to whether any foreign devices are installed on it. Installing a high-tech device called a “skimmer” on an ATM is a fairly common way to steal card data. The device reads information from the magnetic tape and the card chip so that it can then be duplicated. If you think that certain parts of the ATM look suspicious (their appearance is different from the usual) or there are some additional parts, do not use such an ATM and immediately report your suspicions to the bank.

Protecting your card in public places

In crowded places (in crowded public transport, in markets, in stores), an attacker can not only steal a card, but also apply a contactless reader or POS terminal to clothing pockets, the sides of bags and withdraw money from a card that supports contactless payment from an unsuspecting victim. If you use a card with contactless payment technology (PayWave or PayPass), make sure it is not easily accessible.

Protection from methods of psychological influence

Many fraud schemes related to bank cards are based on social engineering technology. They involve extracting confidential information from the client using various communication channels (for example, asking for bank card details or one-time passwords over the phone) or convincing them to perform certain actions under various pretexts (for example, posing as bank employees, asking them to go to an ATM and follow instructions). To avoid becoming a victim of scammers (both online and offline), it is recommended:

• do not tell anyone your PIN code and CVV2/CVC2 code of your bank card;
• never give card details, personal data and codes sent via SMS to unauthorized persons;
• do not transfer or credit money in response to requests coming from unknown numbers;
• if the message is supposedly from a close relative, interrupt the conversation and call the relative back using the number from your address book, clarifying whether the information you previously received regarding the relative is true;
• Do not enter digital commands on your mobile device whose purpose you do not know.

Using bank cards is a convenient alternative to paying in cash. After all, a plastic rectangle in a pocket or wallet will not take up much space, and its loss is not as critical as in the case of paper bills. But modern technologies they go even further by offering new payment methods, including contactless ones. Is it as safe as it is convenient?

Vulnerability of contactless payment cards

Since when paying for services worth up to 1000 rubles, a bank card with contactless payment does not require entering a PIN code, this follows the simplest and most obvious way to steal money from it - using a POS terminal. If its reading chip is located at a distance of several centimeters from the card’s transmitter, then money can be easily written off from it without the participation of the owner.

Unlike a regular card, a card with the possibility of contactless payment has a microchip and an antenna that operate using RFID technology. They contact and “respond” to a signal from a radio transmitter built into a special terminal, which allows payment to be made only by touch. The signal is quite weak, and therefore the receiver and transmitter must be located at a distance of several centimeters from each other, which makes these types of payments at first glance quite safe.

But there is reliable evidence that scammers actively use this method on trains, subways, and other crowded places where it is possible to get close to a person without arousing any suspicion. Having a POS terminal, a fraudster can carry out one raid, “taking away” up to 1000 rubles inclusive from one piece of plastic, and leave with a haul of several thousand (or several tens of thousands).

However, despite its apparent simplicity, the solution to this problem is not always available. Firstly, the RFID chip is quite problematic to read. In order for the card and the terminal to interact with each other, it is necessary to bring them closer to a distance of several centimeters (if we are talking only about a POS terminal). But if other methods of data theft are used, then the gain of the receiving antenna allows you to read the necessary information up to 1 m and, if you have certain software, even a bunch of contactless cards will not save you. In this case, it is already quite problematic for holders of plastic cards with a contactless payment system to protect funds from intruders. However, there is a way - special wallets and cases OPTEXX®. More on this later.

In addition, the option of banal deception in a store, restaurant or bar is more than likely. Especially if you decide to show unnecessary trust, and the card ends up in the hands of an unscrupulous seller or waiter. Disappearance small amount from the account you may not even notice it or not notice it right away. It will be impossible to return the money stolen in this way - no matter how you later appeal to the bank.

How is data stolen?

Radio Frequency IDentification technology uses a radio frequency of 13.56 MHz, at which payment and identification information is exchanged between the card chip and the terminal transmitter. Some payment systems use other communication standards, but the essence of the process does not change. Physical protection allows you to save your money when using a standard terminal, because data exchange is possible only at a distance of a few centimeters. But what if we use more powerful (and at the same time compact) transmitters?

Such scanners, working using RFID technology and capable of “interrogating” contactless cards at a distance of up to 80 cm, already exist. Not long ago, a similar device was demonstrated by British researchers from the University of Surrey, who are actively working to combat fraud in this area. If you use the device instead of a POS terminal, you can easily “write off” in large quantities from the accounts of contactless card holders amounts below the established limit (1000 rubles in Russia, $25 in the USA, 30 pounds in the UK, etc.). In this case, exact alignment of the receiver-transmitter and the chip with the antenna is no longer required; it is enough that they are at a distance of up to 80 cm from each other. Since the scanner signal is stronger than that of the terminal, interference from keys and mobile phones, located next to the map will have virtually no meaning.

Hackers went even further, proposing an original way to steal funds without using sophisticated scanning equipment. Since the smartphone and the owner’s card are often nearby, you can use the phone’s NFC module as a relay that transmits the victim’s payment data to the fraudster. First, for this purpose, an Android Trojan is sent to the owner’s smartphone and installed in hidden mode - a virus that allows such operations to be carried out on the victim’s phone.

As soon as the smartphone is close to the card and identifies its chip, it “contacts” the scammers via the Internet. The attacker activates the POS terminal at his disposal and makes a payment using his phone with a specially installed application instead of a credit card. In this case, the cardholder’s smartphone acts as a kind of bridge or repeater.

Of course, such technologies for stealing information and money are quite complex and are still of rather theoretical interest. After all, a credit card with a contactless chip has other levels of protection in addition to the physical one (more on them later). But forewarned means forearmed. So it is better to be prepared for the fact that in the near future - given the speed of development of science and technology - such technologies will become publicly available. And knowing how to protect a contactless payment card is already a necessity.

Wallets and cases with shielding inserts are a simple and popular solution today. Outwardly, they do not differ from ordinary wallets, but inside they have a layer of metallized film made of a metal alloy, which blocks different radio frequency ranges, including 13, 56. Thanks to this, even a powerful scanner cannot read data from the card sensor. The advantage of using a wallet is that you can carry several credit cards in it at once, as well as store cash, business cards, passes, passports with an RFID chip, access cards and transport cards.

RFID security can be provided in a variety of ways, depending on the design and design features specific model. Typically, reflective or absorbent materials are used, which provide protection against scanning. Additionally, various microtransmitters can be used to provide active protection by generating “white noise” - a complex of radio waves of different frequencies, which prevents information from being read. Although none of the methods can guarantee 100% protection.

If there is no need to constantly carry a large number of cards, documents and money, then you can use more compact devices - special cases. They are usually made of leather, plastic, fabric and various synthetic materials and, like purses, wallets, have a shielding gasket. When paying, the credit card may not even be completely removed from the case - just the edge with the chip is enough.

The convenience of using a shielded case is also that it is quite thin and small - the size of a credit card - and therefore can be carried in a purse or wallet. True, using several of these cases will already become problematic.

Metal cases are convenient for carrying a large number of cards. To pay, you just need to extract the one you need. But, of course, you will have to wear such a case separately - it is too big for a purse or wallet.

Built-in contactless card protection and bypass capabilities

In addition to protection at the physical level - the need for close positioning of the card and the terminal - there is also protection at the cryptographic level. The fact is that a bank card does not have a permanent CVV code. At every payment transaction it is generated randomly. Therefore, reading the data itself does not give the fraudster anything except the opportunity to make a one-time transaction in the amount of up to 1000 rubles (or in another currency - in accordance with the restrictions set by banks).

Today, using special equipment, fraudsters have learned to read a randomly generated CVV code and use it before the card owner does so. In this case, the funds are debited from the victim’s account, and the owner receives error information the next time he tries to pay for the purchase. In this case, the card may even be blocked, which will create certain difficulties.

But losing, for example, 800 rubles is also a nuisance. Especially if the fraudster manages to perform several similar transactions. By the way, this is also not always possible, since many banks today use protection against multiple withdrawals of small amounts that do not require confirmation with a PIN code. However, the very fact of receiving information on the card is sometimes enough, for example, to pay for purchases in some online stores. Therefore, the presence of built-in protection is not a reason to completely trust it and lose vigilance.

Making a duplicate SIM card

It is worth talking separately about this method of fraud, which at first glance does not directly concern finance. But many users today have their cards linked to their phone number. Having a copy of the SIM card, fraudsters will be able to make transactions without the owner even knowing about them, as well as make payments and withdraw cash in cases where the operation requires SMS confirmation.

The fraud scheme is quite simple - the cardholder, whose passport details are known, is called and rejected or sent an SMS with a request to call back. In order not to arouse suspicion, scammers usually introduce themselves as employees of a bank, pension fund, or various government organizations. Next, the attackers contact the service center of the telecom operator with a request to reissue the SIM card. To do this, you need to provide the owner’s passport details, the time and numbers of the last calls made, and sometimes top up your account.

Such calls and account top-ups are the first sign that virtual scammers are trying to rob you. Usually, after this, the number turns out to be blocked, and the money from the account is withdrawn to other cards or electronic wallets. In this case, you need to act as quickly as possible:

• Block all plastic cards linked to the number by contacting the bank.
• Call the operator and ask to block the duplicate SIM card.
• Write a statement to law enforcement agencies.

The most important thing to take care of is restricting unauthorized access to the card. Always pay yourself and do not hand your credit card into the hands of waiters, salespeople, sales floor employees, etc. Before making a payment, check the amount entered on the terminal screen. In the event of an accidental error or banal deception, if it is not detected immediately, it will be almost impossible to prove this fact and obtain a refund from the bank. The same is true if someone else uses your card for their own benefit without your knowledge.

Be sure to use SMS notification, even if this service is paid. Usually the subscription is not so large, but you can “lose” significantly more unnoticed. The notification comes instantly - upon payment - this will allow you to immediately understand that you have either lost your card, or there is a fraudster operating nearby with a terminal or scanner that reads data through Radio Frequency IDentification.

The easiest way for a fraudster to gain access to your finances is to steal the card itself. And even though he won’t be able to withdraw cash, he will be able to use it to pay for purchases on the Internet or in regular stores. In this case, SMS messages will notify you of the loss and the need for action.

You can block a lost or stolen card through a special banking application, by phone or by visiting the branch where you received the credit card in person. To remotely block, you will most likely need additional data - for example, a code word or passport information. Later, the card can be restored without any problems - for free or for a small fee for reissue and maintenance.

Try to always hold the card in such a way that there is no direct access to it from outside, and there is always a distance of at least 10 cm between its chip and the nearest person. That is, hide it in an internal pocket, backpack, briefcase. It’s better if there are some metal shielding objects nearby - keys, a lighter, a pocket knife, a multi-tool.

If you have a credit card with you and money is debited from it, then most likely a fraudster is “working nearby” or remotely. Check if your card is located next to the phone, which acts as a transmitter. Immediately turn off your smartphone and move the card away - to your internal pockets or bag. Remember that an attacker will not be able to access your mobile phone if it is not rooted and its display is locked.

To protect your funds, you can reduce the payment limit without PIN code confirmation. Today many banking organizations provide such an opportunity. You can configure this parameter in the application or on the official website - in your Personal Account. You can completely cancel payments without entering a PIN, but this will limit the functionality of your contactless card. However, when it comes to the safety and security of funds, convenience and functionality fade into the background.

Alternatively, you can refuse to physically use the card itself by installing a special payment application on your smartphone. Of course, there is a possibility of the phone itself being stolen. Therefore, this solution is justified for mobile phones equipped with a fingerprint sensor. In this case, even if the gadget ends up in the hands of criminals, it will not be possible to pay for the purchase.

Protecting your smartphone and apps from malware, spyware and viruses is an essential part of keeping your finances safe. Therefore, the antivirus should be on the list compulsory programs, which you install on your mobile. But other applications, especially third-party ones, should be treated with suspicion - after all, any of them can be a source of Trojans, thanks to which attackers gain access and steal payment data.

How to protect a contactless bank card?

In addition to general recommendations that can be used for not only contactless, but also regular cards, there are ways to physically protect them. You can try to block data transmission using RFID technology using a thin layer of metal. This can be food foil or baking foil. The main thing is that it is completely metallized - the inner shell will not protect you from a pack of cigarettes.

Electromagnetic shielding technology is based on the simple principle of a Michael Faraday cage, and not all metal shields can successfully block scanner antennas from reading them.

We can recommend another shielding method. Carry several contactless cards together - in one wallet compartment. It is better if these are credit cards of different banks and types, operating at different frequencies, or non-payment cards, for example, transport ones. When trying to read information with a scanner, the device will receive a response from different chips, which significantly complicates the reception and decoding of information. But this method will only work in the case of contact terminals, and special software and “grabbers” amplified by antennas can easily bypass it.

Carrying a card wrapped in foil or a large number of credit cards together is quite inconvenient. After all, then the main advantages of the contactless payment method are lost - its speed. A sheet of foil or thin shielding metal can be placed in the pockets of a purse or wallet so that they cover the card on both sides. Well, it’s best to use specialized devices, since they have been on sale for a long time and are represented quite widely on the domestic market.

Screening wallets, purses and cases

Advantages of using shielded cases:

• Reliable protection payment information from hacking and copying.
• Protects the card from demagnetization, even if it is in a strong electromagnetic field.
• Protect your credit card from mechanical damage and wear.