Hackers are flaunting stolen credit card details online, allowing fraudsters to test one victim's identity before buying more
Many Australian victims had no idea their credit card and personal information was being traded online until contacted this week
On one scam website, a spruiker supplied the personal and credit card details of five Australians as evidence he would sell correct information to the highest bidder
The victims' names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and credit card details including the three-digit card verification code (CVC) required for some online transactions were available on a public website
Four victims contacted by news.com.au were shocked to learn their Visa and MasterCard details had been freely available online for almost five months
One victim, Melbourne's Henry Gaughan, said more than $2000 of illegal transactions had been made on his Visa card, but he had not realised that any number of fraudsters could have used it
"We've had a whole lot of transactions on my Visa about 22 transactions, (worth) more than $2000, all in small amounts," he said
All purchases were made on a European shopping website
"We got a huge shock because the card was being used in Europe," he said
Police said highly organised criminal syndicates were behind the gathering and selling of credit card details of ordinary citizens
Victorian fraud squad Det-Insp John Potter said bar code scams were the latest way criminals were lifting personal details with one easy scan
Boarding passes, travel itineraries and membership cards were popular targets for thieves wanting to spend other people's cash.
