Businesses across Powys are being urged to remain vigilant following a series of reported “refund scams” targeting card payment terminals.

Brecon, Crickhowell, and Hay-on-Wye police say criminals are using distraction techniques to trick staff into leaving payment terminals unattended, allowing multiple refunds to be issued fraudulently. In some cases, different cards are used for refunds than the one used for the original purchase.

Police have highlighted key warning signs:

• Refunds or charges that do not match any corresponding sale.

• Refunds processed on a different card than the original transaction.

• Card terminals swapped or tampered with, sometimes printing receipts for another business.

To protect businesses, the force advises:

• Only process refunds to the original card, checking the last four digits against your system.

• Keep terminals visible at all times and store them securely when not in use.

• Be alert to attempts to distract staff during transactions and report any suspicious behaviour immediately, preserving CCTV footage where possible.

• Check end-of-day sales and payments for unusual refunds or charges and notify your card processor of concerns.

• Limit the number of staff authorised to issue refunds and use PIN-protected terminals, changing the PIN regularly.

• Be cautious of unexpected offers to replace existing terminals with alternative devices.

Police warn that even businesses that do not usually provide refunds should remain alert and contact their card acquirer if they suspect fraudulent activity.