I was in a queue of the bank some days ago to try to withdraw some cash from the ATM machine for my everyday routines with; what do you think could be used to perform this operation? Our answer is quite simple. It is either the master card or Visa or the Verve card you or i was provided with.
And a guy who was also in the queue had received a negative feedback from me; though didn't know what he was up to, was asking a female fellow who didn't have much or less clue about the importance of what she held except that she knew it only serve the purpose of fetching money from the ATM machine, to provide him with the information on her card.
so, what was this young guy up to with the information he got?
Our master or visa or verve hold an important information that link directly to our account in the bank. This information should be kept secret.
without going to the bank to get some cash for our daily routines, there is a means through which we can pay for goods purchased. and this means is through the information on the card.
if you made your way into the internet and walked your way into some online stores like ebay, Konga, jumia, and or amazon, the world largest online store, to order for some product, you will be asked to provide the card information on the card (the debit card that belong to you with which you can withdraw money from the bank). this information will now help them to be able to withdraw the amount of that particular product that you ordered for instantly directly from your bank account and a message from your bank will be sent to you confirming that a particular amount has been debited from your account at a particular time.
so this means of payment explained why vast majority can be in their home and still able to order for goods in far distances through online stores and are able to pay for it without going there and their goods will be delivered safely to them in their home.
somehow, this fascinating means of payment was found legitimate until some scrupulous monsters aka fraudsters (or better describe in the Nigerian language as, '419',) invaded it and change it course of legitimacy to nightmare. They use this means to fraud people's account.
It happen when they are able to obtain the card information on the card through the following ways:
1) when your card is placed on the desk carelessly.
2) some of your relatives could be monster too. Keep your card safe from them and stop giving your card to any one to help you get some money from the bank. if you should give, ensure that the person you are giving does not know anything about the computer or the internet.
3) Through illegitimate website. there are some dubious website designed to get people's card information. they are in form of online stores or web hosting companies.
4) Transactions between buyers and merchant. when you demand for product online and you are asked to pay and in the process of giving them your information, someone may get your information
5) And through the story i had just narrated at the beginning of this page regarding a fellow who was asking someone else's card information.
whats really the card information ???????
the card information is usually those numbers at both side of the card (back and front).
they have a name: the longest number usually in 16 digit is called card number.
the one written like a number that depict a date is usually called date. And while the three digit at the back of the card is called cvv.
You can see the image bellow and figure out each of the number.
so, how is the information used when it fall on the hand of the bad guys ??????
After obtaining the information,they use it and act like you. that is, they would go to online stores and demand for enough product to ensure that they finish every thing in your account in that spot. Even if you had billions of dollars, they go for what could finish the whole money before you make any move to interrupt them. After demands for these products, when asked to pay, will now provide this careless persons information to them and this persons money will now be used to pay for these products.
what is the way out now????????????
the way out is very simple. But i do not want you to think that because of all these stories, "the internet is no longer a safe place".
Of course the internet is still a safe place despite the number of fraudulent activities going on on the internet.
Everyday, number of organizations or companies are being set up to curtain the situations.
One of the companies already in existence is paypal.
pay pal is one of the largest companies that operate on the internet that help every person to make a safe transactions. it help to protect your card information from falling into bad or good hands. that is, whether you are good or not, pay pal will never allow someone else's card information to fall into your hands.
Apart from protecting your card information, it also serve as a means through which people can pay and be paid money into account.
Pay pal was established in December first nineteen ninety eight with it head office in the United state of America and branched to all part of the world.
it has over 15 thousand employees and over 178 million users which include me, idiogbaejiro,.
So, before you can be protected by pay pal, you have to register with them first. it is totally free and easy to register with them.
All that is needed during registration is your name and you origin. then the most important is your card details and email address.
After registration, the next time you want to go into online shopping or someone want to pay you, you refer you Paypal account to them.
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