9 July 2008
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The General Secretariat has played an instrumental role in helping law enforcement and industry partners around the world to address the growing problem of payment card fraud. As the use of payment cards continues to increase, it is likely that the frequency and extent of fraud will also continue to expand. The payment card industry and law enforcement community are constantly working to develop enhanced production and security measures to deter payment card fraud, but criminals continue to devise more sophisticated methods to override such features. As a result, the need for communication and information-sharing has never been more important, and this is where Interpol can provide valuable assistance. In the mid-1990s, the General Secretariat brought together various experts in the field for the First International Conference on Payment Card Fraud. The Payment Card Working Group was established following the conference. Experts from the Hong Kong Police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, United States Secret Service, UK National Criminal Intelligence Service, Netherlands National Police Agency and the payment card industry attended the group’s first meeting. The representatives shared their expertise and established a classification system for payment cards. A proposal for a central database to be housed at the General Secretariat was approved at the 66th General Assembly in New Delhi in 1997. By 2000, the database was established at the General Secretariat, and allowed for the classification of altered or counterfeit cards submitted by certified law enforcement and industry experts through forensic analysis. The database is currently accessible to member countries and has proved to be a useful tool for the law enforcement community.
To learn more about the ways consumers can protect themselves when using payment cards please visit the following web-sites:
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