NCJ Number
200363
Journal
Security Journal Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: 2003 Pages: 21-30
Date Published
2003
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the changing nature of payment card fraud in the United Kingdom.
Abstract
Addressing the interaction between crime and the regulation of crime in regards to “plastic fraud” or fraud committed with bank-issued and retail store credit cards, debit cards, and charge cards in the United Kingdom, the author of argues that payment card fraud has changed in recent years. While plastic fraud crime rates continue to increase, it is an oversimplification to connect this increase with the involvement of organized crime. Semi-structured interviews with 28 fraudsters in England and Wales and 6 in-depth interviews with United Kingdom fraudsters indicate that plastic fraud is widely popular because it is relatively easy to commit and because it is not time consuming to obtain the fraudulent cards. Fraudsters indicated that there were no financial costs of engaging in plastic fraud, that plastic fraud is committed by both individuals and by groups, that the manufacture of counterfeit cards and the theft of genuine cards were used equally, and that many fraudsters purchased items or funds with fraudulent cards and then quickly disposed of the cards. The author concludes that if and when Chip cards with PINS are implemented some of the fraudulent practices associated with credit cards are likely to diminish. Table, figure, notes