WStore blows whistle on credit card fraud

Two teenaged credit card fraudsters have been prosecuted following shrewd action by online reseller WStore.

Two teenaged credit card fraudsters have been prosecuted following shrewd action by online reseller WStore.

Tony Price, managing director, said the firm's credit controller spotted an "unusual credit card transaction", and informed the police immediately. As a result, two youths were arrested and a substantial amount of WStore property was recovered.

"We are always very cautious when it comes to credit card transactions," said Price, adding that credit cards make up about 10 per cent of trade for WStore.

"When an order goes over a certain limit our suspicions are raised and our credit controller did a particularly good job," he said. WStore has been working with the police to combat this type of fraud since early last year, he added.

Both offenders entered a guilty plea at Southampton Juvenile Court earlier this month after undercover Hampshire Police officers caught them red-handed. The youths were given 100 hours community service and 12 months probation, and were ordered to pay £1000 compensation between them to WStore.

Their own computer equipment was also confiscated because it had been used in a criminal activity.

Other resellers should also beware and increase their vigilance over credit card transactions, said Price.

"Ecommerce is supposed to be about speeding things up and these fraudsters make it difficult for everyone," he said. "Resellers should never release the goods ordered unless they are 100 per cent confident that the order is genuine."

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: "Credit card fraud is on the up and we are urging resellers to put the necessary security checks in place."