Card Fraud

[CheriePie]

I've tried to use virtual account number and it will just not work for me. Not sure if it's user error or what, but when I sign in it tells me my user name or password is wrong (it's not). No one at Citi seems to be able to explain why or fix it. But I digress....

I had this problem at first too so I changed my password to remove the special characters (now uses only letters and numbers) and now the VAN login works fine. So for me at least, it appears to be that the VAN subsection can't properly recognize special characters in the password.

 

[Nukified]

I sent in the information to the link provided by OP. Whoever stole mine yesterday didn't shop at Walmart, or the card was frozen before they could. They tried to purchase from Skype, Intertwitter, iTunes, PC Game Supply, and an Al Jazeera sports store. They went on a shopping spree, that's for sure.

 

[Qew]

I had this problem at first too so I changed my password to remove the special characters (now uses only letters and numbers) and now the VAN login works fine. So for me at least, it appears to be that the VAN subsection can't properly recognize special characters in the password.

Thanks for the tip Cherie, I will give that a try.

 

[Stoneface]

I hope some of these guys caught today in the giant cyber bust helps resolve some of our fraud problems!

 

[Baldr]

I've had my bank info abused on several occasions since I started vaping. There is no way to be sure it's due to vape-related purchases, but my usual vendors are AVE, madvapes, and myvaporstore. But I use my card locally for buying gas, dinner, groceries, etc, and I make other online purchases in addition to vape-related.

My bank (BBVA Compass) has always been very, very good about crediting me my money back very soon and fixing everything.

 

[cags]

I had this problem at first too so I changed my password to remove the special characters (now uses only letters and numbers) and now the VAN login works fine. So for me at least, it appears to be that the VAN subsection can't properly recognize special characters in the password.

I had the same problem, I didn't think of changing my password. what I did was download the software to my computer and now i don't have to go to the site to get the Virtual # and it seems to work much better. but I will (hopefully) remember the password tip

 

[DaveP]

I used to buy my vaping supplies using Paypal. So much for that if the name suggests ecigs. Even after they announced that they wouldn't accept ecig orders, I was able to buy from Liberty Flights in CA. Haven't tried lately.

It's really a shame that we can't order through proven secure methods.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I used to buy my vaping supplies using Paypal. So much for that if the name suggests ecigs. Even after they announced that they wouldn't accept ecig orders, I was able to buy from Liberty Flights in CA. Haven't tried lately.

It's really a shame that we can't order through proven secure methods.

PayPal is by no means any more secure than the credit card processors. All such companies storing card information are required to be PCI-compliant so in essence, they all follow similar standards and use similar (not necessarily the same) hardware to keep this data secure. For all we know, it's someone on the inside working for the processors. We just don't know enough at this time to be able to come to any conclusion.

 

[Stoneface]

PayPal is by no means any more secure than the credit card processors. All such companies storing card information are required to be PCI-compliant so in essence, they all follow similar standards and use similar (not necessarily the same) hardware to keep this data secure. For all we know, it's someone on the inside working for the processors. We just don't know enough at this time to be able to come to any conclusion.

Judge do you happen to know if any of the compromised credit card processors involved in last week's bust also process transactions for our vaping vendors?

 

[BlueMoods]

I gpt the Crystal Hotel one about six months ago but NOT from a vape vendor - used my card at a gas station I do not normally visit, just used it at the pump but, that was enough. Makes me think it isn't a vendor but one of the processing companies leaking our card info. Smae one also tried to charge Mcafee antivirus for business to my card - bank declined it, called me and issued a new card so I didn't loose any money, but, I think it's a processor, not a vendor doing it.

 

[DaveP]

I just placed another order at Madvapes and got a new message in email along with the order confirmation. The email came from Transactions@eProcessingNetwork.com. It also showed the details of the order and the IP address I placed the order from, along with some more pertinent personal information I won't post for security reasons. It sounds like they are working to provide greater order security.

This message is to confirm that a Sale transaction has been placed with MadVapes LLC.

If you suspect that this transaction has been placed fraudulently, please contact MadVapes LLC at sales@madvapes.com. Please include the body of this message in any correspondence to MadVapes LLC regarding this transaction.

Please do not reply to this message. This is simply a courtesy confirmation for your records and security.

Transaction: Sale

<Snip>

 

[aikanae1]

I would like to see this posted where it could get more attention. I recall a wave of CC fraud hitting apx Feb-March? that shut down one vendors website until they tracked it to it's source. At least 3 other vendor's became involved with that project. They did get an answer and it had to do with payment processing, although which portion of it I don't recall. Another vendor kept experiencing waves of CC fraud, eventually shut down and purged their system, resulting in the same answer.

So I hope those previous experiences were explored. Their should be tons of threads on ECF about it. I do see fraud threatening the future of the industry. I'm reluctant to use a vendor associated with a specific payment gateway since I thought it had been involved with a number of CC frauds. I'd rather see them use Popmoney, which would be a pain.

 

[Papacrane]

This is VERY unnerving! Since reading things here I've only used one card to purchase on line vaping supplies....my highest balance card with a requested low credit limit so in case something happened whoever the creep was couldn't get much.

If this is as common as it sounds from reading here then this should be getting much more attention from Govt...but then again I really dont want Govt getting into Vaping !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Papacrane]

I NEVER use my Debit card

 

[whodat1]

I read this thread for the first time today since my CC got hit earlier this month. This happened to me once before about 15 months ago. In both cases my bank(Wells Fargo) caught onto the hack almost right away, put a hold on my card and contacted me. I didn't lose any money either time.

I buy from a number of different vendors for vaping supplies and I use my card for most of my purchases both online and B&M stores, so I won't fill out the form Judge Dredd collecting info in since I don't think I could give specific enough information and can't confirm that it leaked through a vaping related company.

But I did have an interesting discussion with the fraud department of WF both times and asked a number of questions about the MO of CC fraud. I was told that it is very common to have a small charge first as a test which is followed by a much larger purchase. Often the test purchase will be at a place in the US and will look totally innocent. I was told that one of the ways that the bank flags fraud is if a small US purchase is followed by a large purchase from outside the US this will often place an automatic hold on the account.

Most of the people here seem to get the big hit at Walmart.com. This is another reason I didn't fill out the form, the transactions that occurred to my account didn't fit the MO that I am seeing here. The first was attempting to purchase an airline ticket from London to Nigeria from Belgium and the second was an attempt to purchase a large amount of electronic equipment from the Best Buy in Kabul, Pakistan. (Who knew there was a Best Buy in Pakistan???). The bank software rejected both of these and the test purchases were refunded back into my account. I think the ONLY safe method of purchase is either cash or a money order.

 

[Coffee Addict]

I too got hit again, going to the paypal prepaid debit card, they have the virtual numbers there.

 

[FloydianSlip]

After reading this whole thread I too will look into using a prepaid debit card of some type. I have not been hit yet while online ordering but I do not want to push my luck.

 

[HolaAmigos]

Thanks for the info, Tracey. Any attempts at Crystal Hotel or another hotel?

Hi Judge Dredd, I haven't had any attempts for Wal-Mart.com, but I have had an attempt on a hotel.
Unfortunately, I can't recall the name of the Hotel, but it was in Kentucky, that I do remember.
I also remember the total amount for the hotel charge - $22.95.
I wasn't even aware...
I received a call from my bank, I was asked whether I had been in Kentucky between this and this date.
I replied and I said, no.


This is very scary!!!

 

[Coffee Addict]

mine were from norway, twice for 65.99 in 2 days....this is getting old

 

[iceman68]

PayPal is by no means any more secure than the credit card processors. All such companies storing card information are required to be PCI-compliant so in essence, they all follow similar standards and use similar (not necessarily the same) hardware to keep this data secure. For all we know, it's someone on the inside working for the processors. We just don't know enough at this time to be able to come to any conclusion.

If PayPal is no more secure than the CC processors then what is the benefit of using PayPal? Is it basically that by submitting your CC info to PayPal once, it is more secure than submitting your info to each individual vendor you may purchase from? In other words, by using Paypal to make transactions you are limiting your exposure to just one processor as opposed to many?

I'm just curious because I use PayPal on occasion and I was always under the impression that it was a more secure method of payment.