Vendor hacked? Be careful with cc

[Uncle Willie]

I had over $4000 in fraud charges to one card last year .. and the card had sat in my desk for a year with no use by me .. after the investigation, my CC company believed it was done thru a random number generation software that somehow hit on my exact CC number and security code ..

Although I was not held liable, it was quite scary ..

 

[Bostonsnboxers]

OP here. My cc is with Chase, and not only do I not have to worry about that fraudulant charge (one phone call, taken care of) but like I said, I reported it in the evening and the next afternoon the ups guy shows up with an urgent mail envelope containing my new cards! Now that's service!

Main thing is monitor your account. I have alerts set up..any time ANY online/mail/phone transaction is made, I get an email. If a gas station purchase is made, I get an email. If a purchase is made over $200 I get another email. I have my bank account set up to alert me anytime a transaction over $400 goes through (after this I'm going to lower that threshold). Prepaid would not work for me as I'm a severe chronic pain sufferer and do almost all my shopping online, have for years, and this is the first time this has happened. BTW...I'm on an ipad...no keyloggers here, and I swipe my card at Kroger and it goes right back into my purse...never leaves my hand.

I used to use my debit card and am so glad I switched to a card with so many alert possibilities...and I get reward points too lol! Please, whatever form of payment you use, just monitor it at least daily...even if you're not actively using it! Someone else could be..

added: I pay my card off every month..no interest ever paid and no fees.

 

[Taintedhalo]

Oh I wasn't saying regular cc were bad just giving another alternative. If anyone prefers them I would say go for it. That's why in my original post I put not saying this is the best just what works for me. Like Boston said no matter what you use monitor it very carefully.

 

[ambientech]

ambientech so sorry to hear you fell victim. Doesn't your bank have protection against theft? I know if the charges on mine went through our credit union would have taken care of the full amount.

About prepaid cards, can you fill them online and is there a fee to use or reload? I read the terms on a Visa once and it seems to me there was a $5.95 charge just to activate it, of course a small price to pay.

Thanks Yes they are going to take care of it. It isn't going to be refunded until maybe tomorrow or early next week. It is still in the pending stage and they won't do anything until it posts. I am thankful I caught it when I did. I caught it while they were doing it and we managed to get at least half of them rejected immediately. It is just a pain in the rear to deal with and I just went through the same thing middle of last year.

 

[ambientech]

I just found out yesterday they were using an ATM to withdraw money using my pin# !!! How in the heck can someone get my pin# when I don't ever use it ?

 

[Big Screen D]

Holy cr@p. Sorry you have to deal with this nightmare ambientech.

If they have your PIN, they must have used a card skimmer when you used that debit card at sometime. They could have had it for some time before using it. Perhaps waiting for a favorable amount to be available?

 

[ambientech]

Holy cr@p. Sorry you have to deal with this nightmare ambientech.

If they have your PIN, they must have used a card skimmer when you used that debit card at sometime. They could have had it for some time before using it. Perhaps waiting for a favorable amount to be available?

Who knows ? My paycheck was direct deposited that day so that makes sense.

I had to sign affidavit and get it notarized because it was a pin# debit. I guess they thought I flew to NC just to empty my bank account LOL The bank isn't going to credit it back until 7-10 day's which ticks me off. I have friends that have other banks and had same thing happen and the bank immediately credited their account.

 

[Big Screen D]

Here's What A Card Skimmer Looks Like On An ATM - The Consumerist

 

[ckim111]

I don't get why you think a prepaid card is safer if you use a reputable credit card. Fraudulent purchases will be covered and much less hassle than buying a prepaid card (extra cost to you) with having to refill the card

 

[Corpa]

Here's What A Card Skimmer Looks Like On An ATM - The Consumerist

Great article, thanks for sharing!

 

[Big Screen D]

I totally agree ckim. I almost never use my debit card and rarely carry any cash. I prefer my financial institution to worry about recovering THEIR money, rather than replacing mine.

However, some people either do not like to use credit cards as a matter of principle, or due to financial reason can not get a traditional credit card.

 

[ckim111]

I totally agree ckim. I almost never use my debit card and rarely carry any cash. I prefer my financial institution to worry about recovering THEIR money, rather than replacing mine.

However, some people either do not like to use credit cards as a matter of principle, or due to financial reason can not get a traditional credit card.

Big - agree. I guess I was jus asking because people were saying to be careful with cc purchases and to rather use a prepaid which made no sense to me

 

[dandelionwings]

that really sucks and sorry that happened to you. about 6 months ago, my credit union actually pulled my card because it had been used at a restaurant where they arrested someone for stealing cc slips and were actually being used by group in florida. thankfully, it was figured out quickly.

 

[ambientech]

What sucks most of all my bank has yet to credit it back to my account!! Last time this happened to me it was credited almost immediately. I am going to call tomorrow to find out why they haven't.

 

[Bostonsnboxers]

I'm bumping this because it seems to be going around and many, especially noobs need to be aware. Some good advice in this thread ...

 

[classwife]

cell phone...




Hackers pursue high-tech pickpocketing

 

[Bostonsnboxers]

cell phone...




Hackers pursue high-tech pickpocketing

don't carry one, but thanks

 

[heliguy]

I have had my CC number stollen twice in the last 5 years. Once I think from Online and once from a Restaurant (only reason I know it was the restaurant is it was a new CC that was only used once at the store next to my building.

Its extremely wise to check your account often. Banks have a really good policy so they will take care of everything you just need to let them know as soon as you realize it.

In fact I was told it happens extremely often. They also said it actually happens more at restaurants than online. I server will take your card when you pay and use a hand held skimmer to swipe the Data off it. Then a person reprints the data onto a blank card with whatever name they care to choose so it looks legit.


Its really scary when you look at your account and your checking that had 2 plus grand in it is empty!!!

I also had my entire Identity stolen once. I caught this really quickly though so it wasn't to big of a pain in the ....
They guy even hacked my email account. When I changed the password he actually changed it back immediately it was insane.

He did open a few accounts at places in my name. One for for an ISP. When I called to talk to there fraud department they kept asking me what my password was. I was like this account is fraudulent how the hell am I suppose to know the password!! This went on for like 20mins till they finally gave in.

I became an internet detective for a few weeks trying to figure out who it was. I somehow traced it back to an IT guy in california. I then found his email and told him to look out the window and that I was watching him. He replied he had a gun.

I decided to not pursue it anymore after that.

Haha. Crazy world.

 

[Bostonsnboxers]

I know, it's crazy isn't it? As stated, my cc company was fantastic about it all, but it was almost funny when I talked to one of their security 'experts' and told him the vendor of the store with the fraudulant charge gave me his number and said he had the ip and location of the thief if my bank needed it, and the guy was like nah...we'll take care of it. I almost felt silly about being alarmed, but I've spent 35 yrs building up GOOD credit, I didn't need some bozo tearing it down in 10 minutes!

 

[ChrispyCritter]

don't carry one, but thanks

I just read your post on another board that you posted you're using an iPad..they run on pretty much the same operating system as a iPhone..Apple isn't as secure as they claim..sure they haven't been hacked as much as Windows but that was more because of the market share and it not being cost effective for hackers to spend time hacking Apple devices..but that was the past..not saying your iPad was hacked but that article does pertain to you as your iPad does use apps like a cell phone.

Everyone should read that article anyways since it goes on about RFID as a lot of cards today have RFID in them and all a hacker has to do is be near you and not for long to scan the info from it...