The Bankers Association of Trinidad & Tobago (BATT) wishes to advise the public that the banks are aware of the recent Point of Sale (POS) skimming incidents and have engaged their stakeholders and the fraud squad who are conducting investigations.
The banks have been advised that the POS skimming incidents are occurring in two main areas- at delivery transactions and over-the-counter sales.
BATT is cautioning customers to be aware of certain practices when conducting transactions with the delivery sales representatives and customer sales representatives at the store. It is imperative that customers report any suspicious transactions immediately to their banks or bring it to the attention of the authority of the particular establishment.
BATT is appealing to the public to be mindful of the following:
At delivery transactions:
- The first attempt of the transaction may fail, and the delivery representative may ask you to hold on and retrieve a second terminal from the vehicle to swipe your card again
- Or in some instances may ask you to pay cash when the transaction failed as it may appear the machine is not working
BATT is strongly advising customers to take note of the transactions in detail including the date and time, the vehicle number of the delivery driver, the representative name and report the transaction to the bank immediately and /or to the company from which you are purchasing the item or service. Customers can also choose to discontinue the transactions if you are uncomfortable.
Over-the-Counter transaction:
In this instance your transactions will appear to be legitimate, however,
- Keep your eye on your card at all times
- Cover the keypad when punching in your pin number
- Do not allow the CSR to leave with your card
- Pay attention to the value on your receipt as it may be inflated
- Pay attention to every detail of your transaction and how it is being processed
- Try and recall as much as possible your last three transactions on a regular basis.
BATT recognizes that this is a partnership and is counting on its customers and stakeholders to follow these guidelines to help fight against fraudulent activity.
BATT members have implemented various services, technology and introduced products to help combat debit card fraud – notifications/alerts, chip card technology, etc. Banks remain committed to keeping their customers safe.