CC Compromised

[HawkeyeFLA]

From my experience it is the hotel that will pre-authorize the extra percentage for incidentals and not the issuer. The hotels go with the assumption that most folks will use the mini-bar, charge a meal to their room, view a movie, etc. They just want to make sure you have the additional line of credit to cover those charges. Once you have checked out, the pre-authorized amount is returned to your available credit limit. Hotels do this for all types of charge card so if you are planning a stay it's best to use a real credit card.

Again, as I said, when a guest at my hotel showed up with a CC branded gift card and the transaction wouldn't go though it was because of the issuer. My hotel does not put any holds on CCs on file. In this particular case I called the number on the card to inquire and the issuer is the one who told me they hold back a percentage of the transaction. I've worked at the same hotel for almost 4 years now, and stay at 3 or 4 a year on vacations so I do know how other hotels do holds, however I was discussing my experience with a guest's card at my hotel.

 

[house mouse]

Weird things happen. I got a notification from Facebook that someone logged onto my FB account from a city in Asia using a mobile device. I immediately changed and hardened my FB password and nothing else has happened there. It does make you wonder why and how someone would obtain that information. LinkedIn was hacked recently and lots of passwords were stolen. I used the same social site password there. That's probably how my FB account was probed. I now have different and lengthier passwords for those.

Weird. I got the same notice, but mine was out of Africa. Nairobi,maybe. Don't remember the exact place except for it being in Africa. I don't use LinkedIn either.

 

[Tequila]

dictionary attackers run scripts against your accounts from open proxies in lots of places. I've seen them come out of china, latin america, south korea and japan recently. It really is important to use different passwords for all of your online accounts. Sharing passwords between accounts just makes it easier for someone to hijack your online identity. Do I even need to mention that your passwords should be mixed case with numbers, letters and symbols (random and the longer the better) ?

 

[SlimXero]

Tequila: actually, as of late, its been determined that passwords consisting 3-5 proper words strung together is stronger than the old adage of random letters and numbers, mixed cases and special symbols.

I believe my debit card was recently compromised online. I checked my bank account today to see if my direct deposit had gone through. I found a charge for 5.99 for drawwer.com the only purchase I've made recently out of my normal, local pattern was with an e-cig vendor. Obviously, there's no way for me to know for sure how it was compromised, but for only one reason do I not believe it was through this vendor: I paid for my order the day before Thanksgiving. The errant charge has only materialized in the last 6 hours.

I don't feel comfortable revealing the vendor because, as I said, I don't believe they are the culprit and I don't want to inadvertently start a witch hunt. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[DaveF]

I too just purchased a starter kit from a large online e-cig vendor and a week later, I now have a charge for $2.99 on my bank account from: DRAWWER.COM 317-353-3045 LA 12-09-12 344667

I contacted said vendor and reported that they have someone stealing CC numbers (or worse, have been hacked). The rep said he would be forwarding the information up the chain of command. I suggest if anyone else has been compromised to do the same.

I believe my debit card was recently compromised online. I checked my bank account today to see if my direct deposit had gone through. I found a charge for 5.99 for drawwer.com the only purchase I've made recently out of my normal, local pattern was with an e-cig vendor. Obviously, there's no way for me to know for sure how it was compromised, but for only one reason do I not believe it was through this vendor: I paid for my order the day before Thanksgiving. The errant charge has only materialized in the last 6 hours.

I don't feel comfortable revealing the vendor because, as I said, I don't believe they are the culprit and I don't want to inadvertently start a witch hunt. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[Killjoy1]

One thing to keep in mind about compromised credit/debit cards (it may have already been mentioned in this thread, I haven't read back to see) that a lot of people don't take into account is that it is not always related to a recent transaction. Sometimes when your card info is stolen it isn't used right away, it could be a month or two down the road. One reason for this is that it makes it harder to pinpoint exactly where the theft occurred.

Just my

 

[DaveF]

I would normally agree 100% with you, but the coincidence factor in this case is pretty high.

Either way... my Bank and eCig vendor both have been called. eCig company is looking into it, changes have been dropped by my bank, and new CCs are in the mail.

One thing to keep in mind about compromised credit/debit cards (it may have already been mentioned in this thread, I haven't read back to see) that a lot of people don't take into account is that it is not always related to a recent transaction. Sometimes when your card info is stolen it isn't used right away, it could be a month or two down the road. One reason for this is that it makes it harder to pinpoint exactly where the theft occurred.

Just my

 

[Killjoy1]

That statement wasn't directed at you, specifically, sorry if you took it that way I know nothing about your particular circumstances and meant that as a blanket statement

 

[Strigoi]

I would never use a debit card to buy stuff online. I've had my CC number stolen a few times and the CC company has taken care of it within minutes.