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Bv STFPHIANI!7TH!4îr'cnr- Despite its continued small town feel, Milton-isn't exempt from big town issues. Case in point - debit and credit card scains. * With the Canada Day weekend behind us and another holiday approaching August 2, i's impor- tant to know no one is immune to * what Halton police are saying is becoming an increasingly large problemn. ts become the norm as opposed to the exception," said Halton Regional Police Acting Dct. Sgt. Alex Fishbein. Long weekends are when fraud incidents seem to tiare. While declining to give any numbers, Acting Det. Sgt. Fishbein said there were more credit and debit card fraud incidents that occuned in Milton over the Canada Day "tsntarash (of frauds). Its tpclactivity for a long week- Hewouldn't comment on the lctoswhere the frauds took the locations is a gas station. he said, adding he doesn'î ss ,ant te name names for fear of huomig their business. "In the past. thi.y Ir tutetrs "It's becomne the norm as opposed to the exception." ACTU. Ut01 would obtaîn (credit or debît card) information quickly, and use the cards. Now, they're gathering the information and waiting for a long weekend," he said. That way. they have an extra day to spend, since many people are away on vacation and most likely won't notice unusual activity on their cards until they retum, he said. Banks have computer software that tracks unusual activity on cus- tomers' cards. he said. But on long weekends its harder to detect what's out of the norm, since mnany people spend more money than usual. or go on trips where they spend large sums of money. There are sescral incthods of itchit and cre(ltt card scns. O)ne utthe notspopular is ilicd skintniing tJslng the csainplc ut a gas station w hcre direct payincnt is Lscd at the puînp, Acting Deci Sgt. Fishhti said a lraudster sets up debit or ciedit card is swiped, information is captured from the card's magnetic strip. A pin-hole camera is used to get the customers PIN number. The information from the card cao he duplicated on any magnetic strip. and realistic-looking cards cao he cloned, he said. In other cases, hank machines arc Set up with false fronts that copy the information off the cards once they're inserted. Acting Det. Sgt. Fishhein said he doesn't know which methods were used for the Canada Day weekend incidents. Unfortunately, there isn't much regular folk can do to prevent these crimes. "Ultimately, if you use machines, there's nothing you can do ahout it. When you swipe, there's no way to know if a pinhole camera is attached or a system is in place to capture (your information>." Fortunately, the hanks cover the losses, Acting Det. Sgt. Fishhein said. -Its just an inconvenience you get stuckssh" Ile said mîîsî scims nies <ns <ls i îîrganizcd crime. 'It's no loînger onie oîr Issopeoîple." icach alu Ihlî.î o i ana-i dîa, Mc haii.,'.inaîul, a The Milton DBIA Presents: Debit, credit card scams at work over long weekends The date was set Wednesday when the accused appeared ai Ontario Court of Justice ins Burlington. 1 511,o ii iX, ai assauli in March. is naine is being withheld to protect the safety of the victims, police said. 390 - ii S.N Ui 1,Mlo eORS Mo.-eus -,Fi -53,St -2 8 5 1 2 Cruisiff On A tfSumioer Niglit!, Friday JuIy 23, 2004 Main Street, Milton 6:OOpm - lO:OOpm Join us for a cruise down Memory Lane to see 150 PRE-1976 CLASSIC CARS! Registration limited to cars and pick-up trucks only, no commercial vehicles wiII be allowed Feaituring RoIIy Rocker &r the Hemi Heads and Bob McKerron of KRUZ Radio Main Street will be closed to traffic between Commercial Street and James Street, and participating businesses wîll be open late! 9 F OR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER CALL 905-876-2773 OR EMAIL info@miltondbla.com The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, Juiy 13, 2004-5 'Jai1 guard in court A correctional officer accused of pro- Halton Regional Police charged the viding contraband to female ininates for aduit maie ernployee of Muitons Vanier sexuial favotîr's will pp<'airiin '~ i i. 1 1 1