Unexpectedly received a free starter kit?

[Natalia]

My CC was recently compromised after buying from a few trusted vendors listed in the forums. I'm still making calls and filling out claim forms from the bank.

My advice (after speaking to my CC company): before entering your CC number on any vendors site, click the lock icon in your browser. This works in FireFox. I'm not sure about others. It should open a window telling you whether the site is fully encrypted or only partially encrypted. If only partially encrypted, don't order.

In all browsers, if you don't see the lock icon or see only a partial lock icon, don't order. Just my

 

[rtbrjason]

In for the company or list of companies your ordered from.. I've ordered from 4 or 5 different places now and this has me a little be nervous.

 

[flbutterfly1]

I ordered from a few places this week 2 of them were places I have ordered from many times before. the 3rd place is a new company that just opened and this was my first order from them. I found them here on ecf and they had an item i could not get elsewhere. I cant nail down who or where so I will not be mentioning names at this time. I will obviosly continue to watch my account for another 24hours then I will have no choice but to ask for a new card if I dont figure out what this charge is. I only use this card for online purchases so I know my info was taken from somewhere on the net. One of my orders was thru paypal so that pretty much outs that company as the culprit. I have checked the security of the others and they seem ok and so does my computer so far.

 

[Natalia]

My orders were from vendors I've been purchasing from for over six months! I went back to their sites after seeing the unauthorized charges on my CC, and can see their sites are not secure via my post above.

It's their website encryption allowing interception of your information. I will no longer purchase from two of my favorite vendors until their sites are secure. I have PM'd them regarding this matter. Hopefully, they will contact their web hosting companies.

Until then, there are plenty of others with secure sites to buy from.

 

[beachpuff]

Thats really scary. I just went to my trusted vendors, and sure enough, none of their sites are encrypted. Thanks for sharing this!!

 

[mccawley]

They are probably not encrypted until you reach the checkout section that asks for your card info.
And most the time it's one bad employee, not the company itself that's crooked.

Why I use a prepaid card I load with just over the amount I'm going to need for a purchase.

 

[Jobu]

There is really a ton of ways to get your credit card info. If you hand a waiter your card at any place you eat, he can easily copy it down or use his cell phone to snap a picture of it. Any restaurant manager is usually able to print a list of the credit cards used throughout the day with expiration dates depending on how well they know their POS system.

In todays day and age you should talk to your bank so see what options they have for you. My bank recommended I open 2 checking accounts, one for online use where I transfer funds just before I use it. In addition to my savings. All transfers can be done online. It's inconvenient but beats getting F'd in the A and losing some hard earned money.

 

[Natalia]

They are probably not encrypted until you reach the checkout section that asks for your card info.
And most the time it's one bad employee, not the company itself that's crooked.

Why I use a prepaid card I load with just over the amount I'm going to need for a purchase.

If the log-in page is not encrypted they can get your username and password and can get your account info, though hopefully you're not storing your CC for convenience. They can get your name and address email addy, and change your password.

I'd like to make this clear, It's most likely not the vendors or employees, it's the hackers on the internet!

@mccawley, a prepaid card is a very good idea!

 

[mccawley]

Good idea with the two bank accounts.
Then when the defecation hits the oscillation you don't get totally pooched.

 

[Natalia]

Good idea with the two bank accounts.
Then when the defecation hits the oscillation you don't get totally pooched.

Great!!

 

[beachpuff]

They are probably not encrypted until you reach the checkout section that asks for your card info.

Yup, you're right, lol. No need to panic. Doh

 

[ec!gg]

Sorry to hear bout your stolen credit card. Surprised, because many of the credit card companies require online stores to be PCI compliant.

 

[silentt]

Just checked all my sites that i shop at. Goto the log in page, my account, check out and you will see the url change to https or see that lock in some browsers. i have a security feature for my browser that checked the sites and showed they were secure.

Everyone should check the vendors they use just to get your mind off this subject.

 

[lfries1990]

What site did your card get stolen from?

Sorry to hear this happened to you! There are so many shady companies out there like this it's really ridiculous. Best of luck getting all those false charges reversed - good thing you caught it (and good thing the ..... who stole your card left that shipping address on there!)

As long as you ONLY use secure sites then you should be ok.

 

[ec!gg]

Exactly, just double check. Rather be safe then sorry.

 

[lfries1990]

I'm sorry about your card number being stolen, especially by an e-cig smoker or at least someone who is familiar with e-cigs and knows about the scams. A moderator should put something about buying only from secure sites on the front page of the forum, especially because some of us spend hundreds on mods and juice. All of us vapers should know about secure sites to ease our minds when something like this happens.

 

[flbutterfly1]

I used only secure sites and it still got stolen. Probably not by the ones I paid thru paypal. I also doubt it was an employee from the other place. But the third place I wonder about but I doubt it also lots of others have ordered from them and not had any problems. I always check to make sure the site is secure even if they are one of my usual places to order from. I think that the company that processes the payments may have been the problem. Not much I can do about it. Secure site doesnt mean anything just bcause the site is secure and the payment info is encrypted as its being sent it has to pop out the other end as info again and there is someone waiting to swipe it. I would imagine a hacker can easily capture your number even if it is encrypted on its relay to the company and i dont think anyone would know it could have happened 6mos ago and now they are using it.

 

[lfries1990]

I used only secure sites and it still got stolen. Probably not by the ones I paid thru paypal. I also doubt it was an employee from the other place. But the third place I wonder about but I doubt it also lots of others have ordered from them and not had any problems. I always check to make sure the site is secure even if they are one of my usual places to order from. I think that the company that processes the payments may have been the problem. Not much I can do about it. Secure site doesnt mean anything just bcause the site is secure and the payment info is encrypted as its being sent it has to pop out the other end as info again and there is someone waiting to swipe it. I would imagine a hacker can easily capture your number even if it is encrypted on its relay to the company and i dont think anyone would know it could have happened 6mos ago and now they are using it.

Buying e-cig supplies online is the only place you use that card? Card numbers can get stollen from other places too, like skimmers on ATMs and at stores.

 

[flbutterfly1]

It is my online only card I do not even use it at walmart or the atms.

 

[Natalia]

Yeah, this really is a PITA. I spent today filling out another claim form. Oh well, guess it was bound to happen sooner or later with all the online shopping I do.

I can just see the bank looking at my charges, scratching their heads, going, "Geez, every legit charge this woman makes has the word Vapor, or Vaper in it. What the heck is a Vaper?"