14 DAY TRIAL // Nowadays cybercriminals don’t need to hack into high-profile websites or launch sophisticated malware attacks in order to obtain credit card details. Instead, they can simply go to Twitter and get everything they need.
The NeedADebitCard Twitter profile has acquired over 4,000 followers since it was launched earlier this year, and has posted tens of pictures of credit and debit cards.
All the posts are actually retweets of tweets that contain links to images of cards.
“Cut my debit card up and then put it back together, took a good 10 minutes [link],” wrote one user.
“Got my debit card ! Thanks mommy :3 [link],” another one tweeted.
Others have simply customized their card and wanted the world to see how “cute” it is.
While some payment card owners were clever enough to blur out the card’s number and other sensitive information, others simply left everything visible, in some cases the information being more than enough to make an online purchase.
As we reported some time ago, when experts demonstrated that information could be easily obtained from Barclays contactless cards, numerous merchants only require basic details such as cardholder name, expiration date and the card number for making online purchases.
The clever Twitter account highlights the fact that, unfortunately, many users are far from being security conscious.
You might argue that most of those who have posted the pictures are teens who don’t care about security, or who may not have much money to spend on those credit cards, but the reality is that online security should be practiced from an earlier age, not just after some cybercriminal empties your account.
So, if you decide to show everyone how cute your card is, if you want to show the world your first card, or if you simply decide that you don’t want money to rule your life and you cut your card in half, make sure to blur out some of the sensitive data before posting a picture of it on social media websites.