Recent Credit Card Fraud this weekend. First time since I started.

[The Monsor]

Hey guys, just a heads up. I was the victim of Online Credit Card Fraud from an online transaction this weekend. Luckily, I didn't have the amount of money that someone in Slovakia wanted to steal from me, so my bank declined it and cancelled my card. The only companies I ordered from were RAWR and Backwoods Brew last weekend, and Litecig and RTS Vapes this weekend. So if you ordered from any of these companies recently, Keep an eye out. I think I heard something about RAWR having trouble, but I figured I'd list all of my transactions. You know, as civil duty?

Seriously? Slovakia?! Were they funding a hockey team on my card?!

 

[dwolf111]

I use a pre-paid card to order off the internet. I keep just a few dollars on it and just add what i'm gonna need the order or whatever I need. Never had a problem yet, but I'm sure the couple of dollars I leave on it is not enough for someone to mess with.

 

[spider362]

I use "ShopSafe", a feature of my CC that allows me to create a one-time CC number with an upper limit of my choosing and an expiration of between 2 to 12 months. I get a new number each time I make an on-line order and add a couple dollars above the actual costs and leave the expiration time at the default 2 months. This is a free service from my CC company so it doesn't cost me anything.

 

[GregoTX]

Me too. Some schlub bought clothes with my card # in Beijing on Friday. I also ordered from BWB a week or so ago. Either way card was canceled and new one on its way. Gonna have to come up with a more secure way to order stuff online.

 

[Bookworm]

Seems to be a lot of this going on in the last couple of weeks. I'm combing through my account activity now. Good luck to all who have been affected!

Edit: I'm good for now. No strange activity on the account. The only company mentioned in the OP that I have used recently is litecig.

 

[Rocketpunk]

Yep, they got me, too. Someone tried to spend $200 out of my bank account. My bank caught it in time, but now i'm going to be WAY more careful ordering online. I always heard about being getting hacked, but never paid it any mind. That changes when it happens to you!

 

[cocacola31173]

Where can you get a prepaid debit card and how much does it cost to use it?

 

[MikeA5]

I've ordered many things on line with CC going on 15 yrs or more and never had a problem with CC fraud until last year when I started ordering ecig supplies. Now CC fraud has happened to me twice in 2 years. I'm not blaming the ecig venders because I think it's probably due to the CC processing companies that they use, but I have no way of knowing either way. When the ecig vendors start loosing enough business is probably when they'll try to correct the problem. That's my take of this mess we've been seeing lately.

Edit: I'm starting to bring a lot of my ecig business oversees where I can use PayPal. I think that using Paypal may be a safer alternative, since I have not had any fraud problems when using it. Maybe I've been just lucky but I have no way to prove it or have any specific knowledge that Paypal is safer. I just know when using Paypal I've not had a problem "YET".

 

[hausmouse]

I've ordered many things on line with CC going on 15 yrs or more and never had a problem with CC fraud until last year when I started ordering ecig supplies. Now CC fraud has happened to me twice in 2 years. I'm not blaming the ecig venders because I think it's probably due to the CC processing companies that they use, but I have no way of knowing either way. When the ecig vendors start loosing enough business is probably when they'll try to correct the problem. That's my take of this mess we've been seeing lately.

Edit: I'm starting to bring a lot of my ecig business oversees where I can use PayPal. I think that using Paypal may be a safer alternative, since I have not had any fraud problems when using it. Maybe I've been just lucky but I have no way to prove it or have any specific knowledge that Paypal is safer. I just know when using Paypal I've not had a problem "YET".

PayPal isn't exactly Ecig friendly. Good luck with continuing on with that

 

[b0redagain]

Bluebird.com is a prepaid checking account service from Walmart and American Express. Works great for ordering online, but only where American Express is accepted. I like it because it's free.

 

[MikeA5]

PayPal isn't exactly Ecig friendly. Good luck with continuing on with that

PayPal is Ecig friendly when ordering oversees. Ecig hardware or Eliquid can be ordered overseas using PayPal.

 

[hausmouse]

Oh my bad i missed that part. Seems like a hassle though. More shipping and extra wait time. I use an account that doesn't have a lot in it and it won't go past 0 and I DIY so I'm not ordering often and except for those really tired times or if I need to be really mobile(in which case ill toss on a carto) I use a genny and a rebuildable dripper. I can get supplies for both locally if I'm really worried. As far as needing to be really mobile, I'm still on carto one since getting the rebuildables

 

[MikeA5]

Housemouse,
Yep, it does cost more for shipping and it can take much longer to get here but that's just the price I'm willing to pay to feel more secure. I still order stuff here in the USA but just less frequently. I'm also starting to get into DIY so I'll probably not be ordering as much eliquid from the USA as I once did. I vape mostly on RBA, RDA's so won't be ordering any atomizers or carto's either. I've got about 50 carto's right now to be used in the Billet Box that I have, so I'm good for about 1 year there lol.

 

[seahawkin]

Ya went through this a few years ago. Bummer is most of the time it isn't hacking per say, just a ticked off person grabbing a paper trail. Same with ordering a pizza 20 years ago, now they can wonder off with thousands of cards and names.

 

[MikeA5]

The first time CC fraud happened to me was last year. The LAW actually caught the two guys using my credit card number up in Minnesota and are serving 1 year in jail now. I suspect though, that they just bought the CC number from the people who originally stole it from the CC processing company. Of course it's just a guess on my part since I don't know for a fact.

 

[The Monsor]

Yeah. It seems to be a recent epidemic. The prepaid card idea is a pretty nifty idea, so thanks for the suggestions, all!

 

[tA71ana]

Bluebird.com is a prepaid checking account service from Walmart and American Express. Works great for ordering online, but only where American Express is accepted. I like it because it's free.

Also Walmart has a prepaid Visa that is 3.00 per load and 3.00 per month...it's not free but good for those places that don't take AMEX.
The Bluebird in concert with the Walmart Visa is a great combination (I think Walmart sells a prepaid Mastercard, too)

 

[junkman]

Always, Always, Always use a credit card and check your bill each month for any fraudulent activity. The credit card companies cover the fraud. It is the safest method - as long as you check your bill!

 

[Aheadatime]

Yes RAWR and Alien Visions have had an issue with that recently. Alien Visions has decided to close their site for now. Apparently the majority of these cases seem to revolve around people in Beijing attempting identity theft, so hopefully this gives AV and RAWR some information that they can use to narrow in on the problem.

 

[MikeA5]

Always, Always, Always use a credit card and check your bill each month for any fraudulent activity. The credit card companies cover the fraud. It is the safest method - as long as you check your bill!

Ever since I've got my 2nd fraudulant charges in 2 years on my cc that I use for ecig related stuff only. I buy all ecig related stuff using one CC and buy nothing else on that CC. I check almost every day the activity on that CC. If I see anything suspicious I notify the CC company and resolve the charges. I've done this for the past 3 months, I haven't lost a penny with the fraud, my cc company has covered me on both instances, cancelled the old card and gave me a new card. I do have fraud insurance on the card though that costs me $3/month but it's worth it. I use Paypal whenever I can, mostly for generic hardware (batteries etc) here in the USA. I use Paypal when buying ecig stuff oversees (ecig hardware and eliquid). I have found myself buying ecig related stuff more often overseas, since they almost always accept Paypal oversees.