Credit card scamsters used Orkut

By U. SUDHAKAR REDDY
Hyderabad, May 18: An inter-state gang operating from Mumbai and Visakhapatnam used the social networking website Orkut to buy airline tickets with stolen credit card data.
The tickets were sold at a discount to unsuspecting buyers, mostly employees of the Vizag and Bokaro steel plants who were availing their leave travel concession.
The Hyderabad police's central crime station busted the gang following a complaint from a Hyderabad-based person who found that the gang had fraudulently used his credit card data to purchase the tickets. The police arrested one Umapathi Thakur alias Vikas Kumar alias Praveen, 22, of Jharkhand, from Visakhapatnam, saying that he was a key operative. The Mumbai-based scamsters who booked the tickets with stolen credit card data are still at large.
Umapathi’s office, Ganga Ticket Solutions, was located near the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
The scam started unravelling when one Ravinder Reddy of Kalyannagar in Dilshuknagar received an SMS from ICICI Bank on May 6 stating that he had purchased an air ticket from Kolkata to Guwahati.
Mr Reddy, who had done no such thing, immediately approached the police, who booked a complaint and began investigations.
Inspector J. Anyonya, who is investigating the case, told this newspaper: "This is a credit card fraud where details are stolen by hacking online websites or by collecting details from places where the card was used."
"Umapathi has confessed that he had done up to 60 transactions worth lakhs of rupees with the aid of other accused based in Mumbai," Mr Anyonya said. Mr Ravinder Reddy was charged about Rs 43,000 for the air tickets he didn't buy.
The police said the gang stole the credit card data including its 16-digit number, its three- or four- digit CVV (credit verification value) and expiry date.
CVV is an anti-fraud security feature to verify that the credit card is in possession of its genuine owner. The account number, CVV and expiry date are required to complete a transaction.
"The data is stolen usually at petrol pumps, shopping complexes and bars and restaurants where the customers are not alert," said a police official said. "Hackers steal the data from unsafe websites or at Internet cafes."
In this case the scamsters in Mumbai stole the credit card data and used them to buy airline tickets. Umapathi brought in the customers.
"We identified the customers who were flying with the air tickets purchased fraudulently and detained them. They revealed that they got the tickets from Umapathi's Ganga Ticket Solutions," Mr Anyonya said. "His arrest lead to the unearthing of the scam."
"Those who purchased the tickets are innocent. Umapathi used to lure them by offering them tickets at discounted rates," Mr Anyonya said. The customers are given the PNR number and an e-ticket so they do not suspect anything amiss.
The police offered the following advice to prevent credit card fraud:
At outlets where you use the credit card, watch as your card is swiped.
Avoid using credit or debit cards at cybercafes.
Don’t shop online on unprotected websites.
Never use the card on pornography sites.
If the bank offers SMS alerts for credit and debit card transactions, subscribe to it.
Make sure your credit card company has your current phone number so they can call you if they see a suspicious pattern of transactions.
Don't use a debit card over the Internet. Your credit card fraud liability is limited but debit card fraud could drain your account.
Keep track of transactions. You should remember at least the last five transactions. Also check the monthly statements.
Keep receipts and check your credit card statement against them.
Lodge a police complaint and inform the bank if you suspect fraud.