Credit card was compromised

[withravenoushunger]

This is the first time this happened to me from a vendor. I know that it had to be from an e cig vendor because I've only used my card at a few stores in the past couple weeks. The places I've ordered from are Fuzion Vapor, Kidney Puncher, Richman Vapors, Sun Vapors, and Lite Cig. Has anyone had credit card problems on any of those sites?

 

[withravenoushunger]

And looking at the poll on tasteyourjuice, its kind of scary. 35% say they've experienced fraud from vape suppliers.

 

[spider362]

Check your CC account and see if they offer "ShopSafe" or something similar. Bank of America offers "ShopSafe" free of charge.

"ShopSafe" is a feature where you can get a virtual CC number different from your plastic one where you can set the upper $$ limit and expiration date up to 12 months (the default is 2 months). Once the initial CC number is used it can't be used anywhere else and if the charge goes over your set limit it will be rejected. You also have complete control over the card in which you can increase the upper limit if you want to use it again with the same vendor, increase the expiration date up to 12 months if you've set it for less, and you can even cancel the number anytime you want.

Although this virtual number is linked to your regular CC account it will not effect the account if someone tries to use it, so you will not have to wait the days/weeks to get a new CC card. Just cancel the virtual CC number and continue merrily on your way with the next virtual number.

I have this feature on my Bank of America CC account and use it for every internet/phone order I place. I have only had one instance of someone trying to use the virtual number (not an e-cig order, BTW) and BoA called me about it. I immediately cancelled the virtual number, thanked the person at BoA and continued using my card without having to wait for a new one.

This feature does not protect your plastic CC number, however, only if you use a virtual CC number, but for internet/phone orders it's a lifesaver.

 

[withravenoushunger]

My bank is a rather small bank so I'd doubt they have anything like that. I was thinking about using a prepaid card for online purchases.

 

[flintlock62]

I believe Shopsafe is an exclusive BOA feature.

 

[Tempus Fugit]

Sorry to hear you got burned. The frequency of this doesn't actually surprise me though. It can be difficult for e-cig/e-juice vendors to find good credit card processors. Many of those processors are afraid to take on the e-cig industry because of the "risk". That leaves many vendors with substandard processors who charge a lot of money for their services. Paypal, of course, has been known to freeze accounts of known e-cig vendors because of that same risk. The well-established processing companies don't need to stick their necks out for what undoubtedly would be a tiny fraction of their revenue, but some start up processors need the business and have identified the niche. The best way to protect one's self is to avoid problems before they start. A vape-dedicated, low limit card or one of those reloadable credit cards is a good thing to use to minimize your risk. Never use a debit card.

 

[flintlock62]

A prepaid card is one of your best bets.

I use Bitdefender Total anti-virus which includes "safepay". It takes me to a virtual page that is separate from the internet. I store the vendors I use from a list I create.

My bank is a rather small bank so I'd doubt they have anything like that. I was thinking about using a prepaid card for online purchases.

 

[spider362]

I believe Shopsafe is an exclusive BOA feature.

Probably by that name, but other CC companies offer something similar. I believe CITI Bank (I think that's it) offers something similar though I don't know what they call it.

 

[supermarket]

This is the first time this happened to me from a vendor. I know that it had to be from an e cig vendor because I've only used my card at a few stores in the past couple weeks. The places I've ordered from are Fuzion Vapor, Kidney Puncher, Richman Vapors, Sun Vapors, and Lite Cig. Has anyone had credit card problems on any of those sites?

Sorry to hear that

Yea , don't feel bad. It is happening on massive levels in the vape community. You can do a search for "fraud" in the search, and see well over a dozen threads on fraud in the past few months.

I actually compiled a list of EVERY SINGLE VENDOR that people who had fraud ordered from. I compiled over +100 tallies. There were 3 vendors that kept popping up, however, many of the fraud cases were linked to other vendors. So therefore yes, based on my own little research I finally agree with others, that it is quite likely the CC processing company.

I never took it a step further to e-mail the top 3 vendors and figure out what CC processing company they use. I only went as far as searching on their site for info, which I couldn't find.

 

[uzer]

I just got hit for the 4th time this year. I used a new card at ecigexpress.com . I had fraud 3 months in a row, then I decided to purchase juice locally last month. I saw on here that ecigexpress had done all of this work to make their site more secure, and they had switched processors. So I gave it a go this month again because i like their juice... Fraud just showed up again today.

I filed a report with the FTC. Even though they will not investigate individual incidents, they can decide to investigate if they see a pattern. If enough people file a report, they will get to the bottom of it.

Here is the link to the FTC:

https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov


I'm done purchasing liquid or anything ecig related online...

 

[uzer]

Maybe big tobacco is behind this attack on the ecig industry? Dunno, all I know is that it is effed up. My vendor just lost a 2 year customer...

 

[TheWrathOfSanity]

I use prepaid cards. Then throw them away. I'll get the visa cards from the grocery & load a set amount. Whatever is left over for my supply orders & usually dump into my gas tank & trash the card. Then do it all over again for my next order.
I've actually just recently started doing this for Microsoft points/live subscription & PSN as well, been burned there a few times before.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[crxess]

Sorry to hear you got burned. The frequency of this doesn't actually surprise me though. It can be difficult for e-cig/e-juice vendors to find good credit card processors. Many of those processors are afraid to take on the e-cig industry because of the "risk". That leaves many vendors with substandard processors who charge a lot of money for their services. Paypal, of course, has been known to freeze accounts of known e-cig vendors because of that same risk. The well-established processing companies don't need to stick their necks out for what undoubtedly would be a tiny fraction of their revenue, but some start up processors need the business and have identified the niche. The best way to protect one's self is to avoid problems before they start. A vape-dedicated, low limit card or one of those reloadable credit cards is a good thing to use to minimize your risk. Never use a debit card.

Analyst or is this simply speculation?

Global $200 Million Credit Card Hacking Ring Busted | Fox Business

 

[uzer]

I just want to make sure that people know to file a complaint with the FTC.


I filed a report with the FTC. Even though they will not investigate individual incidents, they can decide to investigate if they see a pattern. If enough people file a report, they will get to the bottom of it.

Here is the link to the FTC:

https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov

 

[inkdog]

I just want to make sure that people know to file a complaint with the FTC.


I filed a report with the FTC. Even though they will not investigate individual incidents, they can decide to investigate if they see a pattern. If enough people file a report, they will get to the bottom of it.

Here is the link to the FTC:

https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov

Thanks for this! I've had problems 2 times with ecig express

 

[sachavaca]

I just got the call from my bank, fraud on my account, last purchase was ecig express. I run a tight ship on my computer so don't think it was on my end.

 

[sachavaca]

nice work on the ftc link inkdog

 

[Tempus Fugit]

Analyst or is this simply speculation?

Global $200 Million Credit Card Hacking Ring Busted | Fox Business

I'm no analyst, but it isn't really speculation either. My experience comes from two and a half years in the industry, where I saw first hand exactly how those processors can do people. Not just the company I worked for either, others as well. Sometimes a vendor can get away with it for awhile if they start out with a "big" processor, but they apparently do "sweeps" every so often to look for problems or high risk. They can cut the vendor off pretty quick too, which would obviously be extremely frustrating. I guess the real point is that the e-cig industry still is not seen as "legit" among many entities that make it possible for us to receive our atomizers and e-juices.

 

[Kerig3]

My credit card number was hacked and on 6/12/13 and someone tried to charge $519 to sears.com. Luckily I have a $500 limit on that card so they never got their goods. I only use this card for online transactions, most that are for vaping gear. Guess I'm going to have to use the prepaid route in the future.

But when searching these forums about the recent fraud it doesn't seem to me that this is coming from using any one particular vendor, so I wouldn't single any vendor out.

 

[Hippieangst]

My bank is a rather small bank so I'd doubt they have anything like that. I was thinking about using a prepaid card for online purchases.

A lot of folks do that, and I just ordered one myself. I also think a pre-paid will help with my vape budget (eeks!)