WikimediaPeople with contactless cards are being warned to keep an eye out for thieves bumping into them.
A worrying photo emerged yesterday when Paul Jarvis uploaded a picture to Facebook of a man on a train wandering near people while holding a Point of Sale (PoS) device – the same type of contactless scanner used in shops, The Telegraph reports.
In theory, all a thief with one of these machines would need to do is enter a price lower than £30, then discreetly tap the device against a person’s pocket and they would be unknowingly robbed.
Facebook/ Paul JarvisAlmost all new bank and credit cards in the UK now have contactless chips, which allow users to make small transactions (up to a limit of £30) without entering their PIN.
The UK Cards Association, however, has said the scam hasn’t been widely reported in the UK, and that stringent security checks on merchant accounts are kept, making it difficult for criminals to get a hold of the devices.
The association also points out that the image doesn’t seem to show a British train and the same picture has been seen in reports about similar crimes in Russia.
If you have a contactless card, watch out for this scam https://t.co/XOqOBNEOgN pic.twitter.com/UPbawoeugK
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) February 17, 2016
However, there are online forums out there selling customised PoS terminals, so the idea of theft being carried out this way isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
Probably best to keep an eye out…
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.