ScamWatch, powered by Retina™, is a Spending Settings feature built into your True Link Visa® Prepaid Card that watches for merchants known for scams and sneaky subscriptions, and can block a purchase before it goes through.
In this article, you'll learn what ScamWatch looks out for, how it works alongside any merchant exceptions you've already set up, and a few important things to keep in mind about how it makes decisions.
What ScamWatch looks out for
ScamWatch is designed to catch merchants and charges that are highly likely to be unwanted purchases (e.g., fraud or merchants that are particularly difficult to work with), not to block purchases just because they're unfamiliar. Here's what it looks for:
Suspected scammers
A suspected scammer is a merchant that typically isn't a real business; it exists to generate charges without selling anything of genuine value. Warning signs include:
- A website or storefront with little detail about what's actually being sold
- Vague "subscription" services (like generic "tech support" or "customer service" plans) or digital-content shops offering unclear products
- A website with nothing beyond the bare minimum, such as a privacy policy and a refund policy
- A pattern of complaints about unauthorized or fraudulent charges from the merchant
Questionable charities
A questionable charity isn't transparent about how donations are used or engages in questionable solicitation practices. ScamWatch takes into account factors such as:
- Poor ratings or low transparency from independent charity watchdogs like Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance
- Charities with names that imply they support causes that are very different from how the funds are actually used
- Charities with complaints about their solicitation practices (e.g., excessive calling that can take advantage of donors with memory loss)
- Charities that appear suddenly after a widely publicized disaster, with no track record
Coming Soon - Sneaky subscriptions
A sneaky subscription is a recurring charge the cardholder likely didn't knowingly agree to, can't easily recognize on a statement, or can't easily cancel. Examples include:
- A "free trial" that quietly turns into a monthly charge, or a "just pay shipping" offer that becomes a recurring subscription.
- The merchant name on the statement is a random string of letters or numbers, or has nothing to do with what was actually purchased.
- You can sign up online, but you have to call to cancel, or charges continue even after canceling.
- A "$1.00 trial" that becomes a $40.00 monthly charge, or a fee that increases after the first payment.
How ScamWatch works with your merchant exceptions
Because ScamWatch is part of Spending Settings, it works alongside the merchant exceptions you've already set. If you've set an exception for a specific merchant to allow it, block it, or put a limit on it, that exception still applies. For example, if you've allowed a merchant, purchases from that merchant will still go through even if ScamWatch would normally block them.
ScamWatch isn't a substitute for your own settings. We recommend using it alongside Spending Settings and merchant exceptions, not in place of them, for more comprehensive protection.
If you have any questions about ScamWatch or how it's protecting your cardholder, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Support team.