SALT LAKE CITY — A relatively new fraud scheme may have you thinking twice about how you protect your money.
Coined as "ghost tapping," scammers are targeting people to steal money from tap-to-pay credit cards and mobile wallets with stored banking information on your phone. Thieves can complete transactions by using wireless technology, specifically an NFC device, which stands for near field communication. These devices mimic legitimate tap-to-pay systems.
Scammers prey upon situations where people are in close proximity like a concert, subway or festival, where they are able to get close enough to a potential victim's wallet or phone and trigger a transaction.
Jean-Paul Bergeaux with GuidePoint Security says there is one very important thing consumers can do to prevent a financial blow. “Having to put in a code, or biometrics face or fingerprint. That's the number one best way to defend yourself. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't use those,” Bergeaux explained.
Another preventative measure is to get a radio frequency identification blocking wallet or card sleeve to create a physical barrier between you and potential scammers.
“We're finding very convenient ways to do business, and whenever there's a convenience, bad guys, the attackers say, 'Hey, I can take advantage of a convenience that makes things simpler and easier,” Bergeaux said.
If you have been a victim of ghost tapping, you need to immediately alert your bank or credit card company and report the crime to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Portal, which you can find at ic3.gov.
