Victoria Police have issued an advisory based on the belief that an increase in property crime in the city is directly linked to how easy it is to commit fraud with credit cards that have the tap feature.
Officers believe thieves have been targeting vehicles to break into with the intent of stealing credit cards that have the tap function.
Suspects then take those credit cards to stores that accept tap, and since the feature does not require a PIN for transactions below $100, are able to use the cards to obtain goods and services.
This type of tap fraud, police say, could be encouraging thieves to target vehicles, homes, and offices to break into.
“In Victoria, property crime increased by 15% percent in 2019, with break and enters and theft from autos up over 30%. Esquimalt property crime statistics in 2019 remained consistent with 2018 levels,” says VicPD.
In the wake of these thefts, police are advising individuals to consider cancelling their tap feature by contacting their financial institution. Another precaution is to ensure that credit cards are on your person rather than left inside a vehicle or at work.
Anyone who has their credit card stolen or personal information compromised should call their financial institutions to ensure that all unauthorized payments are stopped right away.
Victims of this crime are also asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654 to report the incident.
