Greg's Corner

How to Spot and Avoid The Card Declined Scam

By Greg Collier

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) recently issued a warning about a new scam. Imagine you’re going through your usual online shopping routine, selecting items and preparing to check out. But when you attempt to finalize your purchase, you receive an alert saying your card was declined. Confused, but thinking it might be a glitch, you try a different card. To your dismay, the same message pops up again.

What many don’t realize at that moment is that they’ve just fallen victim to a well-crafted scam. The website you’re shopping on isn’t legitimate. It’s designed to trick you into handing over your credit card information. Every time you try a new card, you’re simply feeding the scammers more details. Within minutes, unauthorized charges can appear on the accounts linked to the cards you’ve used, leaving you scrambling to contact your bank.

The key to avoiding this situation is understanding that the scam works by exploiting urgency and confusion. When a card is declined unexpectedly, people naturally want to resolve the issue by trying another card. But that’s precisely what the scammers want. The more cards you enter, the more access they have to your financial information.

The BBB advises that before entering any payment information, it’s important to verify the legitimacy of the site. A well-known retailer like Amazon will not typically ask you to re-enter stored payment details. Look for signs that the site is secure, such as the “https” in the URL, and avoid inputting sensitive data if the site doesn’t feel right.

Scammers also use fake emails, texts, and ads that imitate legitimate businesses, so be cautious of unsolicited messages, especially those that lead to unusual payment pages. It’s always a good idea to directly visit a retailer’s website rather than following links from emails or ads, which can be manipulated to look genuine.

Research the business before making a purchase, particularly if you’re shopping somewhere unfamiliar. Customer reviews and trusted sources like the BBB can provide insight into whether a site is legitimate. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Compare prices with other retailers to gauge the true value of the product you want to buy.

Another crucial step in protecting yourself is to use a credit card for online purchases. Credit cards offer added protection against fraudulent charges, and you can dispute unauthorized transactions more easily than with debit cards. It’s also a good time to speak with your bank and credit card company about what measures they offer to protect your accounts, such as purchase limits or notifications for every transaction.

The ‘card declined’ scam serves as a reminder that online shopping, though convenient, requires vigilance. By verifying website security, avoiding unsolicited messages, and staying informed about your card protections, you can avoid becoming the next victim of this frustrating and costly scheme.