Technique

Payment Card Theft

Also known as: Card-Not-Present Fraud, CNP Fraud, Credit Card Theft, Card Harvesting, Payment Card Fraud, Remote Purchase Fraud

COMPROMISEMONETIZATION

Stealing credit or debit card details through fake payment forms, phishing pages, skimmers, or data breaches, then using stolen cards for unauthorized purchases or selling them on dark web markets.

Common attack flows

How it fits in a scam

This technique shows up duringCOMPROMISE

Before

After

This is often where the scam ends.

Defense

How to defend against this

How to spot it

  • Unexpected charges on card statements you didnt make
  • Fraud alerts from your bank about suspicious transactions
  • Declined transactions when card should have funds
  • Notifications of card being used in unfamiliar locations
  • Multiple small test charges before larger fraudulent purchases
  • Card issuer proactively replacing your card due to breach exposure

Tools you can use

Further reading