Beware of card collectors!
4 July 2024 - 5 min Reading time
Febelfin and Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office fear fraud peak by card collectors during summer holidays
Febelfin and the Antwerp Public Prosecutor's Office warn of an increasing phenomenon of fraud by so-called card collectors. In this type of scam, criminals pretend to be bank employees and try to come by your home to get their hands on your bank card and PIN. They also persuade victims to provide their other valuables (such as cash or jewellery) to get them to safety. Be careful and remember that a real bank employee will never come knocking on your door to collect your bank card, PIN or valuables.
How does fraud with card collectors work?
Scammers pretend to be a bank employee and call you to notify you that your bank card needs to be replaced due to a problem or because it has allegedly expired. Sometimes they also send a prior phishing message.
The fraudsters have an organised approach and do everything they can to gain your trust. They ask if they can come by your home to pick up your bank card. Sometimes they also ask to share your PIN or log in to internet banking (during which they watch you to get hold of your PIN). In some cases, they take your valuables with them.
In the end, the criminal has everything he needs to transfer money from your bank account: your bank card and your PIN. The modus operandi may however vary a little from case to case. The scammer will always do everything possible to get hold of your bank card and PIN.
Mainly the elderly population is targeted by this form of fraud.
The public prosecutor notes that many of the fraudsters are young people between 15 and 25 years old.
Fear of peak during summer months
The Antwerp Public Prosecutor's Office is currently already noticing an increase in the number of offences and expects another peak during the summer holidays. As young people have extra free time, the number of fraud attempts by card collectors could still increase drastically.
"With the summer months ahead, the - mostly young - perpetrators, simply have more time to commit such offences. Experience teaches us that we can expect a spike in card collections in the coming period. That is why, at the start of the summer holidays, we would once again like to call on everyone to be extra vigilant and warn others about this." Peter Peereboom, magistrate (Antwerp Public Prosecutor's Office), specialising in cybercrime
How do you recognise card collectors?
- They make every effort to come by your home as soon as possible and sometimes do so at odd hours: early in the morning, late at night, during the weekends.
- They appear very soon after or even during the phone call.
- They often do not look like bank employees and are (very) young.
- They ask for your bank card and PIN. A bank employee will never do this.
How can you protect yourself against this form of fraud?
- A bank employee will never come by your home to collect your bank card or PIN.
- Your bank will also never ask for your PIN, neither by phone nor through a link in an e-mail, SMS or message on social media. So never provide your PIN.
"Don't let fraud be a taboo topic. Talk about it to protect others. It is important to talk about this form of fraud with your friends, parents, grandparents... who could potentially be a target. By talking about it, together we can reduce the chances of success for these fraudsters. Prevention is the key! Forewarned is forearmed."
Karel Baert, CEO Febelfin
Still fallen victim?
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