I am writing to bring your immediate attention to a pressing matter that poses a significant threat to “Verifone” users. It has come to our knowledge that an elaborate scam known as the "High/Low Test" is currently targeting businesses utilizing Verifone equipment.
My guess is that the term “Verifone” could be interchanged with any other credit card equipment provider. So, this scam is not limited the users of Verifone equipment.
The High/Low Test is a sophisticated scheme orchestrated by malicious individuals impersonating Verifone representatives. These fraudsters aim to exploit your trust and deceive your staff into processing fraudulent transactions. I want to underscore the importance of staying alert and taking necessary precautions to protect your business and customers from falling victim to this elaborate scam.
Here's how the High/Low Test typically operates:
The impersonation: The fraudsters will contact your business, posing as Verifone personnel responsible for routine credit card equipment testing. They may utilize social engineering techniques to appear credible and gain your trust.
The request: These fraudulent callers will ask your staff to process a test transaction through the Verifone terminal to validate the authenticity of a credit card. They may claim that this is a necessary step to confirm the card's validity or resolve a technical issue.
The manipulation: To further deceive your employees, the scammers may provide relevant SKUs or product information to make the test transaction appear legitimate. They may even assert that it is a part of the standard procedure for validating returned products and issuing credits back to a credit card that the caller provides.
The fraudulent transaction: If your staff falls for the ruse, they will process the transaction as requested. However, the true intention behind this act is to gain access to sensitive payment information and potentially defraud your business.
It is crucial to note that this type of procedure, involving testing equipment and validating credit cards, is NOT a routine practice carried out by Verifone or any reputable payment service provider or the staff of TransActPOS.
Please educate your staff about the High/Low Test scam and reinforce the following measures to protect your business:
Awareness and caution: Train your employees to be vigilant when receiving unsolicited calls, particularly those claiming to be Verifone representatives. Remind them that Verifone does not typically initiate routine equipment tests through such phone calls.
Gathering information: If your staff receives a suspicious call, instruct them to gather as much information as possible from the caller without disclosing any sensitive details. This information will be crucial for reporting the incident to Verifone and the relevant authorities.
Transaction refusal: Emphasize to your staff that under no circumstances should they process any transactions requested by these callers. Encourage them to exercise caution and not to disclose any sensitive payment information.
Reporting the incident: Promptly report any fraudulent calls to Verifone's customer support and your credit card provider providing all the information gathered about the caller. Additionally, inform your local law enforcement agency about the attempted scam.
Strengthening employee training: Regularly educate your staff about common scams and fraudulent practices, emphasizing the importance of protecting customer information and verifying the authenticity of requests.
If you have any questions, or concerns, or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Verifone's customer support team, your credit card processor, or your TransActPOS Support Team.
Best regards,
Jim Love
Vice President
Profile Systems Design Group, Inc.