Fake cards arrive in real mailboxes

Portugal, France, and Germany have seen waves of physical credit card scams where criminals mail fake replacement cards claiming current cards will expire soon.

The fake card builds false trust

Scam letters tell victims to register the fake card using a QR code or URL. Some counterfeit cards even have real customer names printed on them, creating credibility.

“The card is almost like a token that creates the trust that is needed in order to fall for the actual trick.”

QR codes lead to fake banking sites

Scanning the QR code redirects victims to a fake banking website where they enter their details, giving cybercriminals direct access to their real accounts.

AI makes fake cards cheaper to produce

The cost of producing personalized fake cards has dropped thanks to AI copying designs from images. Higher conversion rates per victim justify the extra costs involved.

Magnetic stripe skimming targets EBT cards

The US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama indicted two Romanian nationals on charges related to credit card skimming targeting government SNAP food assistance EBT cards.

Skimming losses exceed one billion dollars

Skimmer fraud in the United States alone reaches over one billion dollars each year. The FBI says EBT card skimming has risen in popularity among scammers since about two thousand twenty-one.

“Skimmer fraud is rampant with losses in the United States alone reaching over $1 billion each year.”

Cloned cards access current and future funds

Dozens of states still use magnetic stripe only cards for benefits. If the stripe is compromised, a clone can be created accessing not only current value but future value as well.

Chip cards still vulnerable to stripe readers

Non-bank ATMs and smaller merchants may expose chip-enabled cards to magnetic stripe reading. Skimmers are often installed to force chip reads to fail, leaving only stripe data.

Protect yourself from old-school scams

Avoid swiping cards whenever possible. Check terminals for unusual appearance before use. Apply the same skepticism to physical mail as you do to texts and calls from scammers.