The use of plastics or credit cards has been the common practice when we buy our goods including groceries, clothes, and even properties. For many years now, people no longer carry cash around them and just use their credit cards to make transactions that involve the exchange of goods and money. Even the taxi industry has acknowledged the convenience of credit cards that you can easily pay your cab fare using your credit cards. This is done by installing an in-car eftpos terminal in every cab, which is used in swiping the card to get the necessary information to facilitate your payments.
However, credit card fraud has been an issue with some opportunistic cab drivers, who use their passengers’ information to access their credit cards. The taxi industry faces this problem with urgency, fearing that the deception of a few may adversely affect the rest. Consequently, the Public Transport Ministry is determined to stop this criminal offense against unsuspecting passengers. They warned credit card users to be more vigilant especially when cab drivers declare that their terminal is broken. The government is set to penalize those with broken terminals by stopping them from plying the streets and potentially robbing their passengers.
Passengers are duped because they allow the cab drivers to process their payments manually. Unlike electronic record-keeping, manual transactions are more prone to fraud since dockets can be changed just after the customer has affixed his or her signature. In addition, the personal information of the credit card holder is not secure and easily accessed by other people particularly during the cashing in of the docket.
Credit card fraud is actually very common especially in online transactions. Banks have equipped themselves with anti-fraud programs to better protect their customers. As a way to check the criminal acts of some cab drivers, the government fines those that do not use their eftpos terminal. The fine is set at $292, which will be collected on the spot. To help stop the credit card fraud in the taxi industry, passengers should do their share by reporting cab drivers who do not accept credit card payments or use their eftpos terminals. Paper vouchers used in processing fares should not be accepted. Moreover, cab drivers who tamper with the credit card details can be banned from the streets or worst, be liable for criminal charges.
Moreover, when passengers lodge complaints to the authorities it should be accompanied by substantial information. In fact, a third of the complaints received by the authorities cannot be acted upon due to inadequate information. It is crucial that when you agree on a manually processed credit card transaction, you get a receipt. You also need to take note of the taxi number, time and date of your trip as well the pick-up and drop-off points. These pertinent details will be of big help in going after the cab drivers who do not abide by the law. As a safety precaution, always check your credit card statement so that at the first sign of fraud, you have the evidence to bring to the bank and the federal office.
In using your credit cards, the responsibility of making sure all transactions are in correct order should begin with the customer. So as to continue enjoying the ease and convenience that credit card offers, we should be vigilant and be more mindful of protecting our money, something which we have worked hard for.
Similar Posts:
