Planning a trip to crowded destinations abroad? Among all the scams you're warned about beforehand, there’s one that can happen to you — and you might not even realise it until it's too late.
Scammers in popular European cities are using hidden contactless card readers to silently deduct money from travellers' bank cards. All it takes is someone walking past you in a crowd to trigger a payment of up to €50 — no PIN, no alert, and no trace until the charge shows up in your bank account days later.
Scams like these rely on proximity and anonymity. As summer tourism picks up across European cities, Indian tourists are advised to take simple preventive measures before departure. Protecting your contactless card with blockers or lowering its limits may prevent small, unnoticed deductions that add up during long trips.
How the scam works
The fraud involves portable contactless card readers hidden by scammers. By walking through crowded areas like metros, public squares, and tourist landmarks, these readers are discreetly passed close to people’s pockets or bags. If a contactless-enabled card is present, the machine can authorise a payment of up to €50 instantly.
Bank cards using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology automatically allow such low-value transactions. Since these don’t require PINs or alerts, many victims remain unaware until the amount is deducted and reflected in their account, often days later.
Phones equipped with NFC features have also been reported as vulnerable.
Why these scams go undetected
Unlike high-value frauds where large sums are drained, these small, repeated withdrawals are harder to identify quickly. Victims may dismiss them as regular transactions or only notice when reviewing monthly bank statements.
Because the theft involves relatively low sums and lacks physical theft evidence, it’s also difficult for local police or banks to take immediate action or trace the scammer.
How to protect your card
1. Use an NFC blocker card:
These are small plastic cards designed to block NFC signals and can be placed next to your debit or credit card in a wallet or purse. They prevent any attempt to extract payment without contact. NFC blockers are available online, at electronics stores, and are often included in newer wallets.
2. Store your card securely:
Carrying a contactless card loosely in your pocket increases the risk. Keeping it inside a zipped bag or RFID-shielded wallet lowers the chance of unauthorised scanning.
3. Change your contactless settings:
Travellers can lower the contactless payment limit through their bank — for instance, to €10 — which discourages scammers who target cards with higher limits (€30–€50). You can also request a cap on the number of contactless transactions allowed per day or month.
Most banks allow these changes through their mobile apps or online portals. In some cases, you can choose to disable contactless payments altogether, requiring all transactions to be verified with a PIN.
Scammers in popular European cities are using hidden contactless card readers to silently deduct money from travellers' bank cards. All it takes is someone walking past you in a crowd to trigger a payment of up to €50 — no PIN, no alert, and no trace until the charge shows up in your bank account days later.
Scams like these rely on proximity and anonymity. As summer tourism picks up across European cities, Indian tourists are advised to take simple preventive measures before departure. Protecting your contactless card with blockers or lowering its limits may prevent small, unnoticed deductions that add up during long trips.
How the scam works
The fraud involves portable contactless card readers hidden by scammers. By walking through crowded areas like metros, public squares, and tourist landmarks, these readers are discreetly passed close to people’s pockets or bags. If a contactless-enabled card is present, the machine can authorise a payment of up to €50 instantly.
Bank cards using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology automatically allow such low-value transactions. Since these don’t require PINs or alerts, many victims remain unaware until the amount is deducted and reflected in their account, often days later.
Phones equipped with NFC features have also been reported as vulnerable.
Why these scams go undetected
Unlike high-value frauds where large sums are drained, these small, repeated withdrawals are harder to identify quickly. Victims may dismiss them as regular transactions or only notice when reviewing monthly bank statements.
Because the theft involves relatively low sums and lacks physical theft evidence, it’s also difficult for local police or banks to take immediate action or trace the scammer.
How to protect your card
1. Use an NFC blocker card:
These are small plastic cards designed to block NFC signals and can be placed next to your debit or credit card in a wallet or purse. They prevent any attempt to extract payment without contact. NFC blockers are available online, at electronics stores, and are often included in newer wallets.
2. Store your card securely:
Carrying a contactless card loosely in your pocket increases the risk. Keeping it inside a zipped bag or RFID-shielded wallet lowers the chance of unauthorised scanning.
3. Change your contactless settings:
Travellers can lower the contactless payment limit through their bank — for instance, to €10 — which discourages scammers who target cards with higher limits (€30–€50). You can also request a cap on the number of contactless transactions allowed per day or month.
Most banks allow these changes through their mobile apps or online portals. In some cases, you can choose to disable contactless payments altogether, requiring all transactions to be verified with a PIN.
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