Fake Customer Service Scams Evolve: Phones Turned Into Card Readers

A new variant of fraud scams is surging, where victims' phones are turned into credit card "readers" via malicious apps and NFC, enabling thieves to make unauthorized charges. Another tactic tricks victims into entering fake verification codes into bank transfer amount fields. The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau reports scammers posing as customer service lure victims to fake bank sites, then request app installation and NFC activation to steal card data. Some cases involve "secondary exploitation," where victims are told to pay off card balances after discovering fraud. In another variant, scammers use video calls and aggressive scripts to manipulate victims into transferring funds. The bureau attributes the rise to scammers' ability to control victims' emotions in real-time through direct conversation, making phone-based fraud more effective than simple phishing links. This "self-evolving" criminal approach increases scammer control over victims.