Economic Crime Unit launches awareness drive on ‘card not present’ fraud

The Royal Gibraltar Police Economic Crime Unit has launched an awareness initiative to help retailers guard against “card not present” fraud ahead of Gibraltar’s high-volume Black Friday and Christmas shopping period.

The campaign aims to build a partnership between the unit and the local business community in order to create a hostile environment for anyone attempting to carry out fraudulent transactions.

While card not present fraud is usually linked to remote transactions such as online or telephone purchases, the unit has highlighted a trend of fraudsters increasingly committing this type of crime in person.

In these cases, offenders use the “card not present” option on a point of sale machine to key-enter stolen or compromised card details, bypassing the usual security checks.

Retailers targeted in this way can face significant liability if the genuine cardholder later disputes the transaction, with the business often held responsible for any resulting chargeback.

Fraudsters, who often operate in small organised groups, have historically focused on high-value goods in Gibraltar during the festive season, with reported losses over recent years exceeding £100,000.
To help businesses spot suspicious behaviour, the unit has issued the following guidance for retailers:
1. Individual or individuals using multiple cards and experiencing declined attempts.
2. Individual or individuals attempting to control the point of sale machine.
3. Individual or individuals rushing or distracting the cashier.
4. Individual or individuals engaged in excessive mobile phone use during a transaction.
5. Individual or individuals using non-UK issued bank cards.
6. Individual or individuals making expensive, non-routine purchases.

The RGP said Economic Crime Unit officers will engage directly with retailers in the coming weeks to encourage heightened vigilance during the shopping season and to distribute awareness material.