Bank warns of car rental scam

FNB has announced that it has detected a new fraud scam, mainly targeting the car rental companies and the hospitality industry such as guesthouses, lodges and travel guides.

Investigations found that fraud syndicates obtain critical information about the targeted merchant from the Internet by sending an e-mail to the merchant requesting a quotation for vehicle rental and or accommodation for a certain number of people wishing to visit Namibia to attend a conference or business trip. The syndicate then sends the guesthouse credit card details to pay for the services.They also provide the account details of their so-called local ‘agent’ to the guesthouse with a request that a large amount be transferred to the said agent via Internet Banking.The syndicate sometimes provides a copy of the card in the event the merchant requires that.The card would be a fraud as it has been changed already and does not carry any of the prescribed Visa or MasterCard security features.FNB Manager Merchant Acquiring, Rene Botes said that the syndicates has operations with UK-based pre-paid mobile numbers [0944] which they give to guest houses for enquiries and follow-ups.Botes said the syndicates use foreign credit card numbers with high balances which they forward to guesthouses to pay for their “accommodation” and by using the UK cell numbers, it appears as if the booking is legitimate.He added that credit card numbers used so far were all fraudulent and mainly issued by Capital One Bank in the USA.The syndicate has local operations that open a bank account at a local bank with false details.FNB cautions businesses that “the syndicate then forward the bank account details of this account to the guesthouse to which the ‘commission or service costs’ are to be transferred.The transfer, effected by the guest house, is processed as cleared funds to this account which is immediately transferred to another account or withdrawn in cash”.He said that an unrealistic large commission is also “paid” to the merchant for the transfer affected to their local agent, and said local merchants in the car rental and hospitality industry to take extra care and be vigilant at all times.The syndicate then sends the guesthouse credit card details to pay for the services.They also provide the account details of their so-called local ‘agent’ to the guesthouse with a request that a large amount be transferred to the said agent via Internet Banking.The syndicate sometimes provides a copy of the card in the event the merchant requires that.The card would be a fraud as it has been changed already and does not carry any of the prescribed Visa or MasterCard security features.FNB Manager Merchant Acquiring, Rene Botes said that the syndicates has operations with UK-based pre-paid mobile numbers [0944] which they give to guest houses for enquiries and follow-ups.Botes said the syndicates use foreign credit card numbers with high balances which they forward to guesthouses to pay for their “accommodation” and by using the UK cell numbers, it appears as if the booking is legitimate.He added that credit card numbers used so far were all fraudulent and mainly issued by Capital One Bank in the USA.The syndicate has local operations that open a bank account at a local bank with false details.FNB cautions businesses that “the syndicate then forward the bank account details of this account to the guesthouse to which the ‘commission or service costs’ are to be transferred.The transfer, effected by the guest house, is processed as cleared funds to this account which is immediately transferred to another account or withdrawn in cash”.He said that an unrealistic large commission is also “paid” to the merchant for the transfer affected to their local agent, and said local merchants in the car rental and hospitality industry to take extra care and be vigilant at all times.