In the last years, online credit card frauds have been on the rise, and even if the authorities are organizing the consumers must be careful.
One of the blights of the internet is credit card frauds. Despite the fact that online credit card scams make up for only a small percentage of global frauds (about 0.2%), it is clear that we need to act. This is why the gendarmerie adopted Perceval. Launched in 2018, Perceval “allows us to analyze what the citizens reported”, says Cyril Piat, Deputy Chief of the Center for the Fight against cybercrime of the Gendarmerie Nationale. “The figures we have obtained can then be compared to those of e-commerce or the banking sector”.
In six months, the database of Perceval already included more than 270,000 reports of frauds. “Our information is reliable, as it allows us to capture about 30% of the data reported by e-commerce”.
In the fight against frauds citizens are at the center
Despite its usefulness, the primary aim of Perceval remains the reporting of frauds by the citizens. “If fraudulent debits appear on your bank statement or if your card is compromised, you first have to contact your bank to prevent further abuses”, recommends Colonel Cyril Piat.
Only then it is possible to report it through Perceval. A voucher will be provided to the user to allow him or her to receive a reimbursement. In any circumstances, a careful approach on the side of web users is fundamental in fighting against frauds, and it is also in their own interests. Phishing is a particularly problematic issue, as “naivety is generally considered inadmissible as a justification for the reimbursement. This position has already been confirmed by the highest courts”, specifies Cyril Piat. A last advice: always remember that a bank or an administration will never request personal information via email.
