Toll gate fraud leaves motorists vulnerable
The move to 'tap and pay' functions is a safer bet.
Passing through toll gates can be hard on your bank account, but things are worsening.
There has been a rise in fraudsters targeting motorists using their bank cards to pay their toll fees.
Criminals are placing cloning devices over original payment devices at the toll booths.
These devices copy your bank card details and allow criminals to use your card to transact.
While many motorists have expressed their frustration with the removal of the swipe function at the toll gates, it was done as a safety measure.
Ryan Thompson from the Thompson Security Group shared some insight into how the scam works. He told IOL, "Usually, what the criminals do is that they put up fake devices over the original devices and use the magnetic swipe to take all of your data."
He shared that many banks have eliminated the swipe function at toll gates. The banks and the toll gate operators are working to remove this payment function to curb cloning.
However, not all toll gates or banks have changed, leaving many motorists still swiping in a vulnerable situation.
Thompson suggested that motorists use one of the three methods to avoid becoming a victim of fraud at toll gates.
"If you're still swiping your card at toll gates, you are putting yourself at serious risk," Thompson warned. He advised motorists to take the following precautions:
- Pay with cash whenever possible
- Use the tap-to-pay option instead of swiping -
- Regularly check bank statements for suspicious activity." (IOL)
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