Payment card frauds – a growing challenge in Southeast Europe
On March 14-15, the SECI Center Financial and Computer Crime Task Force continued its efforts in combating credit and debit card frauds in Southeastern Europe by gathering together experts in the credit card fraud/cyber crime units from member and observer states, alongside with representatives of Interpol, Europol, judicial authorities and the private sector in Skopje, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
The first regional training targeting this type of crime was held in June 2005 in Bucharest, Romania, and represented the first step for the regional cooperation in the fight against credit card frauds.
The main purposes of the meeting were to brief the attendees on various aspects of payment card frauds within the SECI-Region, including developments in the area of investigative techniques, current criminal activities in the area, shifts in modus operandi employed by criminal networks, the benefits of public/private partnerships in combating fraud, and various tools for international cooperation. The discussions were also aimed at establishing a well-connected network of national investigators able to represent their agencies and work together in support of the SECI Center-coordinated sub-groups.
Based on the results of this meeting, the SECI Center will be in position to provide enhanced assistance and support to Member Countries who are engaged in common investigations. Moreover, a regional channel of communication between the Fraud Forum, national authorities and the SECI Center in the field of credit card fraud will be established and regional operations will be implemented in the future.
The first regional training targeting this type of crime was held in June 2005 in Bucharest, Romania, and represented the first step for the regional cooperation in the fight against credit card frauds.
The main purposes of the meeting were to brief the attendees on various aspects of payment card frauds within the SECI-Region, including developments in the area of investigative techniques, current criminal activities in the area, shifts in modus operandi employed by criminal networks, the benefits of public/private partnerships in combating fraud, and various tools for international cooperation. The discussions were also aimed at establishing a well-connected network of national investigators able to represent their agencies and work together in support of the SECI Center-coordinated sub-groups.
Based on the results of this meeting, the SECI Center will be in position to provide enhanced assistance and support to Member Countries who are engaged in common investigations. Moreover, a regional channel of communication between the Fraud Forum, national authorities and the SECI Center in the field of credit card fraud will be established and regional operations will be implemented in the future.
