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UAE credit card users warned to be careful

New technology with added security is likely to protect credit card users in the UAE from the kind of massive theft that caused 41 million credit and debit card numbers to be stolen in the US.

  • By Scott Shuey, Chief Business Reporter
  • Published: 00:07 August 7, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • New technology with added security is likely to protect credit card users in the UAE from the kind of massive theft that caused 41 million credit and debit card numbers to be stolen in the US.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Dubai: New technology with added security is likely to protect credit card users in the UAE from the kind of massive theft that caused 41 million credit and debit card numbers to be stolen in the US.

Prosecutors there have charged 11 people with stealing credit card information from major retailers such as Office Max, Barnes and Noble, Boston Market, Sport Authority and TJX, which owns TJ Maxx.

The information was allegedly captured using "sniffer" programmes, which grabbed the sensitive information as the transactions were processed. The alleged hackers were able to gain access through unsecured wireless networks.

Dimitrios Petropoulos, the managing director for ENCODE Middle East, an IT security firm, said that most of the affected companies were earlier adopters of wireless technology, which usually did not include much security because threats such as sniffer programmes hadn't been developed yet.

However, those companies should have upgraded their security.

"The early adaptors didn't take steps to protect themselves," he said. "They were complacent, they forgot about it, God knows what. People here are learning from other people's mistakes," said Petropoulos.

By contrast, he said that many big retailers in the UAE are using newer wireless equipment, which "is configured straight out of the box" for security. However, the credit card users in the country should still be wary, thanks in part to UAE's reputation as a wealthy and growing economy. That makes it a potential target for identify thieves.

"People don't break into your house because they know you have valuable stuff," he said.

"They break into your house because they think you have valuable stuff." However, while unsecured wireless networks were targeted in credit cards thefts, individuals with wi-fi connections are less likely to be attacked, he said.

"Individual users don't make a prime target," he said. "Most people who break into wireless networks in the UAE are looking for a free internet connection."

Kevin Isaac, the regional director of Symantec MENA, one of the world's largest internet security firms, said his company always advises their "customers to be extremely careful with their credit card details and ensure they are using them only with reputable companies, but the fact is that no matter who you use your card with, there is always a risk that it could be misused due to any number of reasons, one of which is theft of information through hacking. That is why banks insure credit cards and provide card protection schemes for their clients," he said via email.

His advice to credit cards users in the UAE "is to remain confident that the financial systems the banks have in place will manage their risk. They do however need to do their part in keeping their details safe, keeping their pin number confidential and ensuring they avail themselves of all the precautions their bank recommends."

Justin Doo, managing director of Trend Micro, another leading company in internet content security, said that while he agrees that wireless networks here are more secure, there are still plenty of ways that credit cards are put at risk in the UAE.

In the US and UK, a physical credit card receipt only carries the card's last numbers, but here merchants retain the full credit card numbers and signature.

"That's far more open to abuse," he said.

He also said there are numerous issues regarding "data integrity" in the region.

In one recent incident, a UAE-based construction firm found that its entire customer-contact database had been placed on eBay, an web-based auction house, by a disgruntled employee.

Have you ever shopped in the US using a credit card? Are you concerned about the level of security in financial transactions nowadays? Have you ever been a victim of identity theft? What happened? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form bellow to send your comments.


Your comments


Credit Card companies who sell equipment for credit transactions in Dubai should come down hard on retailers that print the entire credit card numbers on physical receipts. In the US retailers who print the credit card information are fined and lose their privileges to accept credit cards from their customers.
Ben
St Louis,Missouri
Posted: August 07, 2008, 11:53

I think the best way to aviod these situations and landing in troubles is to be very very carefull and safe, do not leave ur credit card unattended for a long time when you swipe and do keep a track on all the transaction you make and keep the SMALL signed copy handy for any Discrepancies.
SYED
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 07, 2008, 11:49

I think people have to be more careful with the banks for their charges rather than outsiders. As they charge certain charges which they themself dont know how it is calculated but the simple answer you get is it is system who calculates and it is correct but we dont know the calculation.
Stany Lobo
Dubai,U.A.E
Posted: August 07, 2008, 11:34

When I moved to the UAE and received my first credit card I was amazed that the card companies did not use the the 'chip and pin' technology that they have deployed elsewhere in the world. Cashiers don't even look at my signiture, they hand back my card before they can even compare it. I don't feel that security surrounding card transactions are taken seriously enough.
Hamel Shah
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: August 07, 2008, 11:14

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