NT: Starting the post-season right - NOT.

[Catherine]

So this morning I get a notice that my credit card was used several times yesterday for large purchases.  After a half-hour with the fraud department (and that after wrestling with a voice menu system designed by truly evil people), the bad charges are canceled and a new card is on the way.  All I have to do is notify ALL the places it gets used.  Ugh.  If I ever get my hands in the guy, I'm going to give him a BIG hug in Rita's back yard.

[grmy2h]

That happened to me 2 years ago after a vacation. I was notified by my credit card co. to call them and someone had charged over 7,000 in the UK. We got it all straightened out and several days later while viewing my online banking I see transactions being charged on my debit card in the UK. That one required a report with the local law enforcement to reverse the transactions.

I know I only used the credit card and debit card at one gas station on the way to and from vacation, so I don't know if the station was hacked or it was hacked some other way.

At any rate, keep a close eye on any other cards you may have.

[rfassett]

Are you absolutely certain that you were not out on a shopping spree to celebrate the end of another grueling season and now have amnesia?

Sorry to make light of a very serious issue.  I have been down that road a couple of times.  Very inconvenient - but it could be far, far worse.

My latest episode was with Staples.  I noticed a charge on my card and it was someone trying to charge a laptop and having it sent to Miami.  Staples claimed it was a known perpetrator.  Really?  Then why the heck is that person allowed to charge ANYTHING at Staples.  That also told me that the issue must have been an inside job at Staples - but they would not admit that.  We do not allow any company to save our credit card information.  And the Staples charges (there were two on the same day) were the only unauthorized charges on that card.  I am doing less and less business with Staples. 

[Catherine]

There was one a few months ago at WalMart - someone tried to buy a laptop online and have it shipped to Brooklyn.  Don't know how they got my card number as I never save cards at stores and in fact had not made any WalMart purchases online in years - long before the card in question existed.  Looking back, it was the same card company.  Wonder if there is any connection there.  

Yes, it could have been much worse.  It was also a great way to start off my morning.  Here in MA, state taxes are due today, so I'm not even quite done with the tax season!

[Lion EA]

Been there, done that.  Discovered things a year later that were on auto renewal, but of course the card had been changed months before.  Even thinking I wasn't saving card info with stores, it's amazing how many places I had to update.  And, even with the card company removing charges, the vendors kept adding them back.  We had at least three additional months of on and then off again before the charges stayed off.  With police reports, etc., it was an astounding number of telephone calls over about a half year in each case.  Hang in there!  

[BulldogTom]

I have had these issues over the years, and I have found that AMEX is the best at taking care of me.  I will not carry a Capital One card anymore after the way they treated me when that card was hacked 8 or 9 years ago.  It took forever and they would not talk to me. I cancelled the card after that experience.

About 5 years ago, I had to make a quick trip down to LA for business.  Last minute deal.  Booked my flight the night before and headed for the airport in the morning.  Did not have a lot of cash in my wallet because I don't carry a lot of cash normally.  Took a cab from LAX to Santa Monica where the meeting was held.  Paid for the cab with my AMEX.  Did the meeting and flew back home.  Two days later, I get a call from AMEX.  My card was used in Greece.  It was a 5 minute call at most.  It was obvious that the only places I used the card was for my flights and for the cab.  The charges were reversed and a new card was overnighted to me at no cost.  That is what I call customer service.  I only use my AMEX when I travel now.

I am not a paid spokesperson for AMEX, but I love their customer service.

Tom
Newark, CA

[jasdlm]

This has happened to me 4 times, but luckily, I've been able to resolve it each time.  I've come to believe that it doesn't matter how careful I am.  I don't allow my cards out of my sight; I don't allow my card number to be saved - it doesn't seem to matter.

Catherine, I'm really sorry about the poisonous start to your day.  I hope it gets better soon!

[jklcpa]

I'm sorry, Catherine.  I've had this happen to me several times over the years as well. My credit card company caught overseas charges before they were processed, verified with me that several others also fraudulent, and issued me new cards pronto. It was a very easy process. Another time I caught charges when I checked my online activity, again was easily resolved.  The latest issue was a skimming device that was discovered on a swipe machine at our local grocery store. My bank issued new debit cards to every one of its cardholders that had activity at that store during the time frame they believed the skimmer was in place. I was pleased at how proactive my bank was to protect its customers and itself.

[Jack from Ohio]

There is only one way to be sure that your credit card information cannot be hacked/stolen/compromised.  It is foolproof and dependable.

1. Never use your credit/debit card.

2. When you feel the urge, see #1.

[Gail in Virginia]

I disagree, Jack.  I think the only 100% surefire way to never have a credit/debit card hacked is to never have one issued to you.

[BHoffman]

Yikes!  I haven't had a credit card in many years.  Now, I want one that will offer travel miles.  Airline tickets are so expensive!  It's hard to decide which card.  Any suggestions?

Also, I'm not happy about putting my SSN, DOB, average income, name and address on the application.  ID theft information in full

[Jack from Ohio]

33 minutes ago, BHoffman said:

Yikes!  I haven't had a credit card in many years.  Now, I want one that will offer travel miles.  Airline tickets are so expensive!  It's hard to decide which card.  Any suggestions?

Also, I'm not happy about putting my SSN, DOB, average income, name and address on the application.  ID theft information in full

No info, no card. Hence the reason Gail is correct.

[GraceNY]

Never have a credit card issued to you.

Unless, of course, the fraudster retrieves your personal info (name, dob, ssn, etc) and applies for a credit card in your name....

I have a client who is a detective in one of my local precincts who has arrested a number of fraudsters carrying dozens and some times 100's of credit cards on their person.  Going from store to store buying stuff and gift cards.  One was a jewelry purchase at close to $10k.  So I asked him how these people were getting away with this.  Hackers get into computer systems at any number of places (banks, super markets, department stores, etc).  They steal the credit card number.  Those numbers are then offered on the black market.  Fraudsters buy the list of credit card numbers.  They, or they pay someone to, emboss a blank credit card ( I guess there are either blank cards to purchase or someone is manufacturing them) with the fraudulently obtained credit card number and their own name or a fictitious name.  They either use their own identification (i.e. drivers license) or have more fraudsters make up fraudulent identification items for them.  So when they go to a place of business even if the clerk asks for id, it's mute.  It's going to match.  If the transaction doesn't go through they just keep whipping out cards until one works.  The suspicious and smart clerks have called the police.  The last crew arrested had receipts for a motel nearby.  Police got warrants and not only obtained 100's of credit cards but also the embosser.

Now, on another note, you have to be very careful when you use your credit card.  It doesn't matter about letting it out of your sight.  There's been a ring up and down the east coast recently who put skimmers in bank ATMs.  One slick fraudster also installed a tiny camera to capture the pin numbers being put in.  I don't know if this person has been caught yet but they have accessed quite few ATMs and have taken thousands of dollars from unsuspecting bank customers.  Even if you buy gas and use your card at the pump.  Look where you insert that card to make sure it doesn't look suspicious (i.e. skimmer).  We even had one incident at a local do-it-yourself car wash wherein a skimmer was installed where the credit card is inserted.

My client has spent countless hours on the job requesting credit card statements from the victims in order to determine any commonality among them (i.e. shopped at XYZ store) just prior to fraudulent purchases on their cards.  What a blow to law enforcement in terms of man hours working on this when they could be out solving more pressing crimes.

Ah, the stories he tells me.  Fascinating, how these folks get away with so much.  And, then there are other stories about welfare fraud, etc. etc. etc.  Terrible stuff going on out there....

[Jack from Ohio]

Simple foolproof method to prevent anyone from opening fraudulent accounts in your name, even with your information.

Institute a credit freeze on your account at all three credit bureaus.  Foolproof.

[Richcpaman]

Sorry to hear about this for you!

Rich

 

 

 

[michaelmars]

I have found Capital One excellent when dealing with fraud, I guess its just which rep you get.

I have many cards but only use 1 card with a low limit for online purchases.  And you can set up most cards to send an email alert for any charges over a certain amount. 

[Catherine]

3 hours ago, michaelmars said:

I have many cards but only use 1 card with a low limit for online purchases.

This one was a low-limit card for online purchases.  The first couple of charges were low amounts that would not have set off any bells - probably testing the number.  Then they went for an almost $700 purchase.  That probably set off the alerts, upon which they held every charge for the prior couple of days.  

[GeneInAlabama]

I have my credit card set up so that I receive an email for each purchase over $1.00.    I instantly know any time my credit card is used.

[jklcpa]

4 minutes ago, GeneInAlabama said:

I have my credit card set up so that I receive an email for each purchase over $1.00.    I instantly know any time my credit card is used.

 

Wow, I could do that with my husband's card and it would be like having a GPS tracker attached to him. 

[Catherine]

25 minutes ago, jklcpa said:

it would be like having a GPS tracker attached to him

stalker stalker!!  lol

[jklcpa]

I've teased him for years that I can track his movements all over the county with our card purchases. Gene's method would give almost live notification though. 

[FDNY]

But then he would never be able to surprise you.

[Jack from Ohio]

14 minutes ago, jklcpa said:

I've teased him for years that I can track his movements all over the county with our card purchases. Gene's method would give almost live notification though. 

 

Just now, FDNY said:

But then he would never be able to surprise you.

Cash from an ATM.  Just sayin...

[Lion EA]

I get "card not present" emails on my biz card to report online purchases.  But, that won't help when it's one of those cloned cards.

[GeneInAlabama]

16 minutes ago, Jack from Ohio said:

 

Cash from an ATM.  Just sayin...

I'll have to pass this on to my wife.  She bought me a birthday present once and I knew exactly how much she paid for it and where she bought it before she got home.