Please be advised that Global Payments was notified by Visa of a fraud scheme in the New York and New Jersey area.
A male suspect has purchased a $20.00 Simon Mall Gift Card from White Plains, NY and is using it fraudulently. The suspect seems to be preying on smaller regional merchants. He enters a store to purchase a large ticket item. After he approaches the check out, he tells the clerk that his issuer's authorization system is down and instructs the clerk to call a phone number to get a verbal authorization. He explains that if the card is swiped it will be declined because the system is down. Over the last three weeks he has been able to get away with $75,000 in merchandise ranging from jewelry to tires. Because no valid authorization is obtained the merchants are buying these transactions.
The card is on the exception file with a pick up response. The suspect has only been using one card and it's under BIN 479347. Local law enforcement has been notified.
Retail merchants should always swipe the card to obtain an electronic authorization.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact us.
(800) 260 - 3388
