Carding is the unauthorized use or testing of stolen payment-card information. Criminals may obtain data through phishing, malware, skimming, or data breaches. Understanding the pattern helps consumers and businesses recognize suspicious activity without reproducing criminal techniques.
Warning signs
- Unexpected small verification charges
- Repeated payment failures from changing locations
- Password-reset messages you did not request
- New devices or payees appearing on an account
What to do
Freeze the affected card, contact the issuing bank through an official channel, change reused passwords, enable multi-factor authentication, and keep a record of disputed transactions.