Threat Management

Fraudulent $9.84 charge attributed to elaborate foreign scheme

A growing number of U.S. credit and debit card holders have spotted a specific fraudulent charge on their card statements for $9.84. An investigation of the charges leads affected victims through an intricate network of foreign websites and companies.

Although the scams vary, many people report it accredited to eetsac.com, according to security blogger Brian Krebs. Emil Darbinian, a Nicosia, Cyprus-based, self-described accountant owns the website. Additionally, he's registered more than 200 other similar sites and companies, which include an “affiliate learning system” at webtutorialpro.com.

Through a complicated chain of companies and Cyprus-based businessmen, Krebs concluded that this scam appears to successfully steal small amounts of money from many stolen card numbers. He suggests card holders report the charge to their banks and request a new card.

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