Carding What is it, how does it work and how can we protect ourselves?

Despite all the benefits that the Internet offers its users, the truth is that also generates certain insecurities, due to the large mass of malicious Internet users that there are today. Reason why, money theft is a major concern of users of digital payment services and credit cards.

In this sense, although these may be associated with secure methods, unfortunately, there are many possibilities that cybercriminals take advantage of to profit from the sensitive information of all its victims. Thence, carding is borna recognized term that refers to the theft of users’ credit card data.

Thus, it is a practice that is growing like wildfire thanks to the fact that it is implemented with the help of various methodologies. So, in order to avoid being victims of carding, you need to know what this scam method is about, how it can be detected, some tips to protect yourself from it and other aspects of interest.

What is carding and what is this scam method for?

Basically, carding can be defined as an online scam that consists of accessing the information of a bank card (both debit and credit), illegally and for profit. Therefore, it describes the unauthorized use of any bank account or any financial information of a victim.

In other words, carding refers to the use of other people’s credit cards or the generation of new credit cards with the aim of making payments to distance purchase systems, mainly. So, in short, it can be said that it is a practice that has to do with any fraudulent activity associated with the banking information of a certain user.

In this way, once the malicious hacker obtains the required information, he proceeds to make illegal purchases or use malicious sites in order to distribute it. A) Yes, they focus on taking the money without the consent of the victim and, therefore, cause the loss of equity.

In this sense, carding serves as a technological activity, by way of fraud, in which cybercriminals carry out a scam in order to acquire their own benefit economically and at the expense of harming someone else’s savings. Taking into account that, victims are chosen randomly.

What are the main tools used by scammers to do carding?

While it is true, the hackers who bring carding to life rely on some specific tools to achieve its mission in the simplest way. From which, they try not to give indications about their theft to users.

But, before detailing what they are, it should be noted that this digital fraud is implemented with the sponsorship of various methodologies to usurp the information of a credit card, obtain financial data or any sensitive reference of the victim.

A) Yes, the most common tools are based on malware, phishing and even carding forums:

• Using the malware: Specifically, the carders They use malware such as rootkits, Trojans and backdoors. Because, these are dangerous software that can be installed on the system without prior permission and thereby gain access easily. Thus, they gather the personal data necessary to steal money from bank accounts by taking screenshots of victims’ desktops as they access the Internet, and recording keystrokes.
• Through phishing: Deception through false web pages that pretend to be banks, universities, online stores or legitimate institutions, is also one of the most used tools by these scammers. As, so they can receive the financial information of the users more easilybecause they get them to reveal their personal and financial data with total confidence.
• Through carding forums: Cybercriminals can also resort to the famous carding forums to receive the necessary information from the victims. In view of that, are markets used to support illegal activities based on the exchange of information related to stolen bank cards.

In addition to that, carding scammers can count on certain algorithms that are capable of determining credit card numbers and they can also handle extract the number of your correspondence, photograph it when paying in an establishment or through email (for spam).

Even these technological frauds occur via telephone using social engineering which, basically, uses unconscious verbal mechanisms to convince another to do something reprehensible and thus, the user will naively provide their credit card number.

Detecting carding What are the clearest signs?

As carding has become a potential digital scam today, it is important for all Internet users to remain vigilant and aware what are the clearest signs to be able to detect this fraud easily.

Therefore, below, we mention these signs so that you always keep them in mind:

• If you receive an email from an unknown user whom you have not contacted before, this can be really suspicious. Especially, if it is an email with a payment request or that requires some personal information.
• If you access a website and you notice something strange in your URLit is possible that the platform is supporting phishing to set traps for its users.
• If you notice that your computer system is heavier and, sometimes, it makes unusual movements, it is a sign that some malware has been installed on said system and is capturing sensitive information.
• If you review the movements of your credit card and, through some tracking carried out with the help of the bank, you manage to verify that illegal purchases have been made with the samethis is the biggest key to verify that you have been a victim of dangerous carding.

Tips to protect ourselves from carding and prevent unauthorized use of our credit cards

As you will have seen throughout the post, scammers trick their victims using different tactics with which they manage to obtain information about their credit cards, credentials, and personal data, in order to obtain the amount of money they want to steal.

So, It is essential to follow the following recommendations and prevent your bank accounts from being usurped without prior notice.:

• Do not provide your credit card details (number, security code and expiration date) by email or by phone, unless you are making a purchase with a reputable company. In this way, you will better protect your banking information.
• Avoid using illegal websites, forums malicious or suspicious Facebook pages. As, these are the main focuses of the carders to choose their victims.
• Install reliable antimalware and antispyware on your computerin order to avoid the implementation of any program or application used to snoop on your activity on the network and capture sensitive information.
• It is also relevant that update your programs (including security ones) so prevent vulnerabilities and that these do not work as holes to install new malware that will control and steal your personal data.
• When you apply for your credit card and receive it at your address, check that the envelope is completely closed and shows no signs of having been reviewed. Otherwise, it is best to notify the bank and return that card.
• If, for any reason, you are going to stop using your credit card, we recommend cut it into several pieces until the chip and the magnetic stripe are completely destroyed. Once this is done, discard those pieces in different trash cans.
• Do not forget to activate the movement alerts in your bank accountin order to be aware of everything that happens with it.

What should I do if I detect that my credit card is being carded?

In case you discover that some digital fraudster has cracked your credit card credentials and is carding with it, it is best to notify the bank to which it belongs and immediately cancel the card. Since, only in this way, you will be able to avoid a greater scam or certain much more delicate legal problems that affect your integrity.

On the other hand, thanks to certain digital innovations to come, some payment methods are expected to could make any fraud or scam such as carding virtually impossible. A clear example of this is the Apple credit card that, so far, is not available.

In view of the fact that it will not have printed information that can be used by cybercriminals to make illegal purchases and well, the physical card will be necessary to be able to make payments. Therefore, another way to eradicate carding is to focus on make purchases in physical stores, solely and exclusively. Since, this way you can stop being a potential victim for all the carders that operate in the network, today.