Fraud reports frighten online shoppers, students

Image by Chris Potter, courtesy of Creative Commons

Sofia Galiano/Staff Writer

A recent poll by The Associated Press and GfK Public Affairs & Corporate Communications found shoppers were most concerned for a retailer’s ability to protect their information when making a purchase online, versus in store or by phone.

However, some University students said they were only slightly concerned of having their credit or debit card hacked.

“I shop online all the time,” said Ellie Mercado, junior public relations major. “I’m not that worried about it.”

The poll also found 41 percent of shoppers reviewed their credit reports in reaction to retail store data breaches, like the one at Target last holiday season, while only 18 percent enrolled for a credit card monitoring service.

Some students said retail store information hacks made them more cautious while shopping, while others became wary after one of their own family member’s fell victim to credit card fraud.

Mercado said her mother discovered $3,000 worth of fraudulent charges on her credit card after making a purchase at Publix and realizing her card was declined.

She said she suspects her mother’s information was stolen online and she is now more vigilant when surfing the Web.

“I only use websites that use https://,” she said. “If it doesn’t have that then it’s not secure.”

Similar to Mercado, Lovely Merdelus, a senior biology major, said her mother’s information was stolen at a hospital where she spent three months in a coma, and she now deals with the consequences of damaged credit.

Since then, Merdelus said she began using LifeLock, an identity theft protection service, and opts for PayPal to track her online purchases.

But she said her caution extends beyond retail stores.

“Even at the gas station I don’t use the pump anymore,” she said, explaining that she only pays for gas inside the gas station.

Claudio Zelaya, freshman communication major, said after his sister’s debit card information was stolen from swiping it at the pump, he too started swiping his card at the register to get gas.

“I trust a person more than a machine,” he said.

Students who said they did not know anyone that fell victim of credit card fraud still took precautions to protect themselves.

Ernest Metelus, freshman Biology major, said he changed some of his passwords, including the one for his bank account; similar to the 31 percent of pollers who changed their passwords on retail websites.

Menaka Jones, senior chemistry major, is like the 37 percent of pollers who made an effort to use cash instead of a card, although she said she continues to use plastic at the register.

“I still feel comfortable using my card,” she said.

Despite hearing cases of credit card fraud, some students said they did not take measures to protect their information since they mainly pay in cash.

Bryan Collot, junior hospitality and tourism management major, said several months ago skimmers, devices used to collect card holder’s information, were placed at Publix Presto! ATM’s, allowing hackers to withdraw funds from people’s bank accounts – but Collot said he was not worried.

“I’m not a big credit card user to begin with,” he said.

Although Jones said paying in cash is an obvious way a person can protect their information, most students said they prefered their cards over dollar bills.

Mercado said she dislikes cash because she spends it quickly, and Zelaya said he does not use cash for the same reason.

But as Merdelus mentioned, putting yourself at risk is unavoidable when a textbook you need for a class cannot be bought anywhere else but online.

“Sometimes having the cash is helpful, but you need the card,” she said.

-bbc@fiusm.com

About Post Author

About the Author

Sofia Galiano
: News Director Assistant, former BBC Managing Editor. I'm a senior journalism major and psychology minor. I wrote for the South Florida Times through the Liberty City Link in spring 2014 and have written for The Beacon since fall 2013.