ODESSA, Texas —
The City of Odessa has recently seen an increase in merchant reports of “Card Not Present” schemes, according to the Odessa Police Department.
A typical “Card Not Present” sale means that the cardholder does not physically present the card for a seller to see at the time that an order is given, and a payment is made. They mostly include orders and card payments made over the phone.
A scammer abusing this type of transaction makes an order for pick up, then pays with stolen credit card information. The scammer then sells the product online to a local person who may or may not know about the scam.
Scammers have been known to send photos of fake ID cards, to “prove” their identities.
Some will also claim they are making orders for others to pick up. Frequently, the name of the caller, cardholder and pickup person are all different.
Once the scammer is successful, they generally continue to make orders until the merchant recognizes the fraud.
Sellers should take extra precautions and time to verify “CNP” transactions and pickups are legitimate.
Identify all buyers and vehicles, and question them about the order and payment made, before giving them the product.
Some ways to deter theft include requesting purchase receipts, valid ID, an inked thumbprint or license plate information.
One type of business commonly targeted is tire shops.
Anyone with information regarding the recent incidents is encouraged to contact OPD at 432-335-3333 or Odessa Crime Stoppers at 432-333-TIPS.
