Police yesterday warned residents that fraudsters posing as security officers for VISA and MasterCard are trying to scam credit card holders.

The alert came after a Bermuda Police officer and his wife were targeted by crooks.

Ironically, after obtaining a three digit security number from card holders, the criminals then tell victims to call the 1-800 security number at the back of the card. Within 20 minutes of giving the three digit number on the back of the card which is used to verify a customer is in actual possession of the card, the Police officer called the real VISA security department and found the crooks had made a $497.99 purchase on his card.

The following day, a thief purporting to be from the security section of MasterCard called his wife using the exact same ruse.

Detective Sergeant Edward Davies of the Bermuda Police Fraud Unit said yesterday: ?People should be aware of this. We were alerted by a police officer and I am expecting calls to start coming in. It is quite clever because they tell you call a 1.800 number and ask for security.?

According to the victim, the fraudster claiming to be from VISA?s security and fraud department, called up and said: ?Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern and I?m calling to verify. Did you purchase an anti-telemarketing device for $497.99 from a marketing company based in Arizona?

?When you say ?no? the caller continues with ?then we will be issuing you with a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 pattern that flags most cards?.?

The caller then says the credit will be in the next statement and gives the victim the correct address. He then asks them to call the 1-800 security number listed at the back of the card and gives a six digit number.

The caller then says he needs to verify the victim is in possession of the card so he asks them to turn to the back of the card. The first four numbers are the card number but the next three are security numbers.

After giving the caller the three numbers, he said: ?That is correct. I just needed to verify the card has not been lost or stolen and that you still have the card. Do you have any other questions.

?When you answer ?no? the caller then thanks you and states ?don?t hesitate to call back if you do? and hangs up.

?You actually say very little and they never ask for or tell you the card number. But after we were called, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did!

?The real Visa security department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our account.

?We made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card and they are reissuing us with a new number. What the scammer wants is the three digit pin number on the back of the card.

?Don?t give them it. Instead tell them you?ll call VISA or MasterCard direct. The real VISA that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information as they issued the card.?