Do you know how card cloning is performed?

Experiencing the uncomfortable feeling of seeing unauthorized transactions on your credit card statement is a common occurrence. This leads us to question how card cloning occurs and what measures we can take to protect ourselves.

Understanding Card Cloning

Card cloning, a serious problem faced by many people, involves a sophisticated process. used by criminals to duplicate someone's credit or debit card information without their consent. Understanding how this process works is a fundamental step to protect yourself and avoid being a victim of this crime.

Card cloning usually starts when a criminal gains physical access to the card or its information. This can happen in a number of ways, such as through skimmers (devices that are placed over card readers at ATMs or payment terminals), phishing (frauds that trick the victim into providing their personal information) or even through unsecured online transactions.

Once the criminal has the card information, he can transfer it to a new card using a device known as a card embossing machine. This new card, called a cloned card, will have the same information as the original card and can be used to make purchases on behalf of the original cardholder.

Furthermore, many criminals are now turning to digital cloning, where information of the card are used to make online purchases instead of being transferred to a new card physicist. This makes the crime even more difficult to detect, as the original card is still in the possession of the rightful owner.

Common Card Cloning Methods

• malicious links: Click in suspicious links that redirect to fraudulent sites is one of the most common forms of card cloning. Unsuspecting victims unknowingly provide their card details during the payment process, inadvertently sharing sensitive information with criminals.
• infected apps: Card data stored in shopping or payment applications may be vulnerable to hacking. Criminals exploit vulnerabilities in apps' systems to gain access to card data, which can result in financial repercussions for victims.
• Disclosure of card data: carelessly sharing card information on social media platforms, in photographs or even on random pieces of paper can make the data susceptible to interception by fraudsters. It is essential never to disclose confidential card details in insecure environments.

To avoid falling victim to card skimming, it's important to protect your financial information. This includes regularly checking bank statements, securing physical cards, carrying out online transactions only on secure websites and checking ATMs and payment terminals for possible skimming.

Remember, awareness is the best defense against card skimming. By understanding how this process works, you can take steps to protect your information and avoid falling victim to this financial crime.