Grande Prairie, Alberta – Grande Prairie RCMP are warning the public about a new crime trend involving Point of Sale (POS) terminal fraud.

Grande Prairie RCMP have entered into several investigations where suspects have manipulated a POS terminal in order to complete a fraudulent transaction resulting in chargebacks to the merchant.

Police recommend that businesses keep the following tips in mind:

  • Do not leave PIN pads or POS terminals unattended and remain present when transactions are being completed
  • Be aware of distractions while transactions are being completed
  • Watch that the customer is only entering a 4-digit PIN and isn't entering a full 16-digit credit card number
  • Look at the customer’s credit card to confirm that it’s authentic
  • Be suspicious if the transaction is taking an abnormal amount of time
  • Examine the receipt and verify how the transaction was processed, watch for manual entry transactions, changes to the dollar amount, or refunds
  • Store administrative cards in a secure location and restrict access to the cards
  • Report any stolen/lost Admin cards to police

If you have been a victim of POS fraud or have information about frauds of this nature, please call Grande Prairie RCMP at 780-830-5701 or call your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

Information provided by the Grande Prairie RCMP.