(Yicai) Sept. 29 -- Mastercard holders in China have reported a fresh spate of unauthorized card transactions abroad, particularly in Brazil and the United Kingdom, prompting issuers such as Bank of China to investigate and arrange reversals or compensation where fraud is confirmed.

Mastercard’s top priority is to safeguard cardholders' funds and ensure smooth card transactions, informed sources told Yicai, adding that the affected issuing banks have already been in touch with cardholders about the matter.

A Bank of China customer service representative said clients who report unauthorized transactions will be contacted by a dedicated team to verify the claims. Once a transaction is confirmed as fraudulent, the bank will coordinate with Mastercard on compensation, with specific arrangements determined on a case-by-case basis.

Several Mastercard holders have reported through social media that fraudulent transactions have already been reversed, and their banks have also indicated that the affected cards can be replaced.

A similar wave of unsanctioned transactions involving the Priceless World Card -- jointly issued by Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Mastercard -- occurred a year ago, with Brazil also accounting for most of the reported cases then.

Most of those cards had previously been linked to Apple Pay, although some users reported that they had not joined them to the service. There is currently no authoritative evidence establishing a direct connection between Apple Pay and the latest unsanctioned transactions.

Customers who have experienced unauthorized card use may, where convenient, provide documents showing that their cards remained in their possession and were not physically present at the locations where the transactions were made, the Bank of China staffer said.

Clients who are overseas and unable to provide such documentation immediately can wait for further instructions from the bank's card center, the person said. Any card freeze or similar measure needs the cardholder's consent, and where feasible, they may also be asked to print a receipt at a nearby ATM or file a police report locally, the staffer added.

Editor: Tom Litting