Public urged to ignore scam email “Badge 12460”

Public urged to ignore scam email “Badge 12460”

Request to people to stop forwarding scam emails

Auckland, 3 May 2007 – Visa International today advised members of the public to ignore an email about an alleged “scam” known as “Badge 12460”.

The email states that people are calling members of the public saying they’re from Visa and they quote a “Badge 12460”. The email then says that people are asked to provide their card details. There is no evidence to suggest that anyone is undertaking this activity in New Zealand. It is an urban myth encouraged by the forwarding of the email. The email has done the rounds globally for five years and recirculates every year or two.

Visa requests members of the public to stop forwarding the email to friends, family and colleagues as it is causing undue concern. Forwarding the email can also encourage “copy cat” activity and publicity of such scams can also give the original author some perverse satisfaction knowing the nuisance they’re causing. In general: • Visa will never initiate contact with cardholders by email or phone to seek personal or confidential information.

• Banks and other financial institutions may at times call their cardholders to check on the validity of purchases.

• People should never respond to an e-mail request for personal or account information, even if it appears to be from a trusted source.

• People should never give their credit, debit or prepaid card number over the phone, unless they are dealing with a reputable or known organization, or if the cardholder has initiated the call themselves.

• People are encouraged to report email fraud to Visa at phishing@visa.com and attach a copy of the email suspected to be fraudulent.

Media contact: Andrew Craig, Porter Novelli New Zealand (w) 09 632 0510 (e) andrew@porternovelli.co.nz About Visa: Visa connects cardholders, merchants and financial institutions through the world's largest electronic payments network. Visa products allow buyers and sellers to conduct commerce with ease and confidence in both the physical and virtual worlds. Visa is committed to the sustained growth of electronic payment systems to support the needs of all stakeholders and to drive economic growth.

Visa products currently generate more than US$4 trillion in sales volume worldwide. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world. In addition, Visa/Plus is one of the world’s largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in over 170 countries.

For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com. About Visa Australia: Visa is one of the leading payment brands in Australia with more than 12 million Visa-branded cards in the country and 600,000 acceptance locations. Visa’s card sales volume was A$142 billion for the year ended December 2006*.

For more information, visit www.visa.com.au or email ausinfo@visa.com. Visa New Zealand: Visa is the leading payment brand in New Zealand with 1.8 million cards on issue and more than 115,000 merchant acceptance locations. For the 12 months ending June 2006, more than NZ$15 billion was spent at point of sale or withdrawn from ATMs in New Zealand using Visa cards. For more information, visit www.visa.co.nz or email nzinfor@visa.com

ENDS

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