"Dexter" malware steals credit card data from point-of-sale terminals

A researcher has uncovered new malware that steals payment card data from point-of-sale terminals used by stores, hotels, and other businesses.

Dexter, as the malware is called, has infected hundreds of point-of-sale computers at big-name retailers, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses, according to a report issued by Aviv Raff, chief technology officer of Israel-based security firm Seculert. Businesses infected in the past three months are located in 40 different countries, with 30 percent of those compromised located in the US, 19 percent in the UK, and nine percent in Canada. Malware that infects point-of-sale terminals can be one of the most efficient ways to carry out payment card fraud because it targets machines with access to large amounts of the required data.

"Instead of going through the trouble of infecting tens of thousands of PCs or physically installing a skimmer, an attacker can achieve the same results by targeting just a few POS systems with specially crafted malware," Raff wrote. "Dexter is one example of such malware."

Dexter has infected systems running a variety of different versions of Windows, including XP, Home Server, Server 2003, and Windows 7. Once installed, Dexter uploads the contents of computer memory to a server located in the Republic of Seychelles. An online parsing tool then attempts to ferret out Track 1 and Track 2 card data processed by various POS applications. The data is then retrieved by the malware operators, presumably for the purpose of cloning payment cards. More on Dexter here.

 

It remains unclear how POS systems are infected by Dexter, which gets its name from a string of text found in one of its files. The large percentage of infected Windows servers suggests Web-based exploits and social engineering traps aren't likely vectors, since those types of machines typically aren't used to browse Web pages. Raff declined to identify the businesses infected by the malware.

Bank manager falls into credit card trap

Kochi: A senior bank official was having his breakfast at an eatery in Kottayam near his bank on Friday morning when he received an SMS stating that a transaction of Rs 489.54 was made on his credit card at a leading restaurant.

A baffled Sudiv Chandra Kumar, manager with the SBT at Kottayam, was about to pay his breakfast bill when another SMS came saying a transaction of `60 had been made at an Apple i-tunes store.

He immediately rang up his home in Thiruvananthapuram to reconfirm that his SBI credit card was safe there.

As he was doing so, came another SMS for a Rs 3,090 transaction at the Apple store, to be followed by another for Rs 1,350 again at the store. All this happened in the space of 15 minutes, before he reached his office and made calls to the customer care to block the payments from his card.

The card had been left safe at his residence in Thiruvanathapuram for nearly a week. "I have been using the card sparingly, at times to buy provisions from a supermarket in Thiruvananthapuram or to make some purchases, just twice or thrice, from some emarketing firms. And that was done from my personal computer at home," he adds.

What surprises the officer is that the payments have been done when the secret password for an online transaction is known only to him. Inquiries pointed to the transactions being done in Mumbai. He has taken up the matter with the cyber cell. The card expires in December and Sudiv has already got the new one.

There, however, was some relief the next morning when he got another SMS stating that a payment for Rs 60 at the Apple store had been blocked.

Dateless stung in card con

TASMANIANS using online dating services are being targeted by international credit card scammers, police warn.

Scammers are posting fake profiles on dating sites to meet unwitting Tasmanians, who receive goods bought online using stolen credit cards.

They are then asked to forward the parcels to an overseas address.

The fraud and e-crime division of Tasmania Police is investigating several reports from retailers about goods bought online using stolen credit cards.

Detective Sergeant Natasha Leaman said at least one Tasmanian man had been charged after he was allegedly caught up in a scam that netted $45,000 of goods bought using stolen credit cards.

The 67-year-old was charged with dealing in the proceeds of crime after allegedly forwarding goods to Cambodia.

"He'd receive 20 or 30 packages a week and then take them down to the post office and send them to a person in Cambodia," she said.

Scammers use a number of excuses to enlist the help of lonely hearts online, many of whom don't realise the goods have been bought with stolen credit cards.

The most common excuse given by scammers is the store the item was bought at won't post goods overseas, Det-Sgt Leaman said.

"In some instances the scammers will send money (to the person) via a money transfer service to pay the costs of postage," she said.

Police warned scammers went to great lengths to create fake profiles on legitimate internet dating services.

In some cases, Tasmanians were also convinced to send their own money to the scammer.

"Scammers will prey on unsuspecting victims who trust easily and fall for financial or personal hardship stories," Det-Sgt Leaman said.

"Once the scammer has the trust of the victim they will ask for money or gifts to be sent abroad.

"A common method is to fake an illness and request money for medical bills or profess undying love for the victim and request financial assistance for travelling costs to see the victim in person."

Police said people using online dating services needed to be wary about providing personal information online and take steps to verify the claims people are making.

How to Get Back at Your Credit Card Company

Stand Up to Your Credit Card Company

Got a beef with your credit card company? If customer service won't help, you may want to bring your credit card dispute to someone who carries a bigger proverbial stick.

You have a lot of choices. A number of agencies are ready to stand with you during disputes over interest rates, mysterious charges, stolen credit card numbers and a host of other credit card issues.

Bankrate has compiled a list of some of the biggest players, ranging from nonprofits to government agencies. Check out where they're located, how they can help and the best ways to contact them.

Credit card police: The BBB

The Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit that takes complaints from consumers, publishes free reviews on credit card companies and assigns the companies "grades" based on its opinion of the business. The headquarters vary by state.

When to use: You have mysterious charges on your credit card.

How they help: If you cannot work out your grievance with your credit card company, the agency offers free mediation and arbitration services. Most issues are typically resolved within 30 days.

Contact: File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Credit Card Police: The FTC

The Federal Trade Commission is a government agency that's responsible for preventing unfair business practices for consumers. The headquarters are in Washington, D.C.

When to use: You want to file a complaint against your credit card company.

How they help: The bureau does not resolve individual consumer complaints, but it documents them and works with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, to regulate consumer financial products and services.

Contact: Contact the Federal Trade Commission.

The Federal Trade Commission is a government agency that's responsible for preventing unfair business practices for consumers. The headquarters are in Washington, D.C.

When to use: You want to file a complaint against your credit card company.

How they help: The bureau does not resolve individual consumer complaints, but it documents them and works with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, to regulate consumer financial products and services.

Contact: Contact the Federal Trade Commission

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a government agency that polices banks and other financial companies with the goal of restricting unfair or deceptive acts. The headquarters are in Washington, D.C.

When to use: You have billing and annual percentage rate/interest rate disputes, issues with closing an account, or concerns about identity theft or fraud.

How they help: Once you file a complaint, the bureau will forward the grievance to the credit card company, giving it 15 days to respond, with the expectation of resolving the issue within 60 days. The bureau can take civil action against companies.

Contact: File a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Credit Card Police: Your State Attorney General

The state attorneys general are chief legal advisers and law enforcement officers for each state government. The headquarters vary by state.

When to use: The state is investigating claims of shady practices by your credit card company.

How they help: Your attorney general can file a lawsuit against your credit card company but only as counsel for the state (not for you personally).

Contact: Check out the contact list for all state attorneys general offices nationwide to determine if your complaint warrants attention.

Credit Card Police: The Secret Service

The Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency that's responsible for protecting the nation's financial infrastructure and payment systems. The agency is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

When to use: Your credit card number has been "skimmed" on an ATM, or you're a victim of some other kind of ID theft.

How they help: The Secret Service conducts criminal investigations on those who have committed identity theft and fraud.

Contact: Your local Secret Service field office can determine if the issue falls within Secret Service jurisdiction.

Credit Card Police: The FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigationis an investigative agency that tackles complex, elaborate cases of fraud posing a severe threat to the U.S. economy. The agency's headquarters are in Washington, D.C.

When to use: You're a victim of a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

How they help: The FBI cannot levy fines but will refer your complaints, as needed, to the appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agency.

Contact: Find your local FBI office to determine if the violation falls within FBI jurisdiction.

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/12/03/how-to-get-back-at-your-credit-card-company/#ixzz2E8JnzpQ6

PayAnywhere Mobile App and Credit Card Reader Now Available from Amazon.com

PayAnywhere (www.PayAnywhere.com), the professional grade mobile point of sale solutions provider, today announced that Amazon.com®, the world's largest online retailer, will be selling both the PayAnywhere mobile app and the award-winning PayAnywhere credit card reader across its online properties. Online orders of the PayAnywhere card reader will be fulfilled and shipped directly from Amazon, and the PayAnywhere app is available for instant download from the Amazon Appstore.

PayAnywhere is the payment industry's only enterprise grade, mobile point of sale solution suited for any size business. With the most comprehensive set of features available and 24/7 customer support, the PayAnywhere mobile point of sale solution is designed specifically to meet the mobile point of sale needs of real businesses, available for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android and BlackBerry devices.

"With businesses purchasing more and more online, Forrester predicts an estimated $559 billion in B2B sales will take place via the web in 2013. As more businesses turn to online retailers for their everyday purchases, it is increasingly important for PayAnywhere to make our card reader available on the websites that businesses are visiting the most," says Scott Addyman, vice president of sales, PayAnywhere. "Amazon is one of the most visited Internet retail destinations worldwide and, as a one-stop shop, businesses of all sizes use Amazon to purchase a wide range of supplies. This makes Amazon a natural fit as the next large retailer to offer the PayAnywhere mobile point of sale solution."

Starting today individuals and business owners can now purchase the PayAnywhere reader, online at http://www.amazon.com. Once the credit card reader is activated, PayAnywhere includes a $10 rebate as reimbursement for a suggested retail price of $9.99. As a special offer for those who buy PayAnywhere from Amazon.com, PayAnywhere is offering $1,000 in free processing within the first 30-days of account activation.

With PayAnywhere there are no hidden fees; no setup, monthly or cancellation fees. Individuals and business owners using PayAnywhere enjoy a low 2.69 percent fee for swiped transactions and some of the fastest payouts in the industry, with transaction funds typically deposited in accounts within two business days, reducing the wait for important cash flow.

In addition to the mobile app and card reader, PayAnywhere offers an online portal for creating extensive custom transaction reports, setting up email alerts, viewing customer receipts, monthly statements and more.

Setting up a PayAnywhere account is fast, easy and free. Once the PayAnywhere reader is purchased from Amazon.com, users simply download the free app from Amazon Appstore, the Apple App Store, Google Play or BlackBerry App World and follow the in-app instructions to sign up for their account. Approval takes only a few hours, allowing the business or individual to begin accepting credit and debit card payments the very same day the reader is purchased.

The PayAnywhere card reader is available on Amazon.com at http://amzn.com/B009JXGOHM and the PayAnywhere Android app is available from the Amazon Appstore at http://amzn.com/B0052ZA2V0.

About PayAnywhere

Created by a multi-billion dollar credit card processing company with more than two decades of merchant payment processing experience, PayAnywhere is powering a payments revolution with its enterprise-grade, "pay-as-you-go" mobile payments system. PayAnywhere's mobile point of sale (POS) technology combines the industry's most comprehensive enterprise-grade features with 24/7 customer support. For more information visit www.payanywhere.com.

PayAnywhere is a registered trademark of PayAnywhere. iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® are registered trademarks of Apple® Inc, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android™ is a trademark of Google Inc. BlackBerry® is a property of Research in Motion Limited. Amazon® and Amazon.com® are registered trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc.

ANZ credit cards rated five stars by Canstar

ANZ credit card products have received the highest number of five-star ratings of any major bank in the latest CANSTAR ratings for credit cards.

ANZ received seven five-star ratings across all credit card categories at the annual CANSTAR Credit Card Awards, which were announced on Saturday.

CANSTAR researched 63 credit cards offered by 12 lenders in their latest star ratings report. Each credit card was filtered through four common user profiles to determine the card's suitability for each type of spender.

The awards are based on the pricing and features of credit card products offered by major banks in New Zealand. ANZ increased the number of five-star products from two to four.

"This result reaffirms ANZ as having New Zealand's leading credit card product suite," says Kerri Thompson, Managing Director Retail for ANZ Bank New Zealand.

"We have brought together the best products of ANZ and National Bank, and this is a fantastic endorsement of how strong our credit card range now is.

"We know our customers use their credit cards in different ways which is why we designed our product and pricing to cater for different needs.

"Products that earned five stars included our cashback product that is unique in the market, giving cash rewards directly on credit card spending.

"Our Airline credit cards, including the ANZ Airpoints Platinum, which is the fastest earning Airpoints Visa card in the market, were also recognised with a five-star rating."