BBB Tip of the Week
Reports have surfaced of hackers stealing hundreds of dollars from consumer bank accounts and credit cards through the Starbucks mobile payment app and rewards program. Hackers have been able to turn on and use the auto-refill payment option within hacked Starbucks accounts to steal money by adding it to gift cards they control. As they steal more, the Starbucks account refills from the consumer’s connected bank or credit card account.
Consumers received email notices about the activities but only after the fact. Starbucks has assured the public that the company has not been hacked. Instead, the reported thefts are likely due to weak passwords or user credentials that are reused from other sites and have been compromised. Another possibility is that user names and passwords were gained through phishing or social engineering.
Cybersecurity experts say this is a trend for hackers – targeting large e-commerce websites and applications instead of traditional financial institutions where security measures are in place to watch for unusual transactions.
The Better Business Bureau offers the following advice for anyone using or considering the use of third-party payment programs that link to bank and credit card accounts:
• Use a unique, strong password that contains upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols for each account. Avoid using words found in the dictionary, names of loved ones or pets and information found through social media, like birthdays.
• Use two-step authentication if provided. This provides another layer of security to transactions and account logins.
• When signing up for an e-commerce rewards program or purchasing gift cards online, consider not storing banking or credit card information with the e-commerce company.
• If you do store debit or credit cards within your online accounts with retailers, treat them like you would your other financial accounts.
• Don’t share passwords in emails or texts. Legitimate companies will not ask for passwords to assist you with account problems.
Sometimes when technology makes our lives easier, it also exposes us to fraud. It can be hard to know when and how technology can break down. If you are cautious with your financial information and accounts, you can help reduce the risk.
For more tips you can trust, visit the BBB at www.bbb.org or call (509) 455-4200.
Erin T. Dodge, BBB editor