Credit Card Fraud: a “Victimless Crime”?
Security expert with protection firm CPP, Danny Harrison, states that credit card fraud is viewed largely as a “victimless crime.” Meaning that those who commit the fraud do not believe they are harming individuals, as banks are typically held accountable for the lost money. He believes this is one contributing factor to the high incidence of credit card fraud.
Mr. Harrison explains, “What’s happened is credit card fraud is moving more and more in to becoming what’s viewed as a victimless crime because the fraudster sees that it is the bank that pays and not the individual and in the majority of cases that’s true.”
Mr. Harrison warns consumers to monitor where they keep their cards and to call the bank immediately if the card is stolen or lost. In addition, it is wise to write down the list of emergency contact numbers for the credit institutions and keep it outside of your wallet in case it is stolen.