Credit Card Fraud/Theft

[Tony617]

I have had my Discover card hacked 5 or 6 times over the years. Also had my bank credit card hacked more time than I can remember. Just a matter of time until the next hack.

 

[crossbow5]

I have had credit card fraud perpetrated against me several times. The worst was when I received a letter from Citi bank wanting to know why I applied for one of their reward cards when I already had that card and when did I move to Louisiana. I got on the phone to Citibank immediately and told them I did not move to Louisiana and had not applied for another card. This was Identity theft. My IRS information had been hacked and someone had sold my social security number and my name. I had to file a police report and send it to the credit bureaus and place a special notification on my credit report. This notification requires that anybody that issues me credit has to call me first. It stopped the perpetrators in Louisiana and also stopped someone from purchasing a cell phone from
Sprint. I asked the police if anyone followed up with the phone number and address from Louisiana and was told no, the credit card company would do that. I asked the credit card company (Citibank) if they followed up on this and was told no, the police would do this. So even with a phone number and address, nobody ever followed up on this criminal act of identity theft. The requirement on my credit report lasts for 7 years. I have not had any fraudulent attempts to open credit in my name, but when I have applied for credit, it always is a hassle. Not extremely problematic but requires extra phone calls. IRS did pay for some kind of monitoring for a year, but this happened about a year later after the free monitoring had expired.

 

[The Heretic]

Police in general don't follow up on interstate crime - jurisdictional issues, and the fact that they simply don't have the resources. The feds usually don't do it either because to them it is small potatoes unless the numbers are big, or someone famous/powerful is involved.

So mostly, for the perps, the risk is small.

Plus a phone # is easily faked.

 

[PDXbiker]

Its at the point the card company recognizes a suspicious fraudulent transaction, doesn't let it go thru and sends me a text asking "is this a valid charge" .

Several months ago, in one day, I made four purchases online from Germany, Australia, Israel and the UK. The very next morning I received a call from the bank CC department confirming if I had made the buys. So there are times the CC system will flag card purchases.

 

[NCW_Robert]

Well, I got an alert from my CC company the other day.
Someone was trying to charge some electronics to my card ($415) and they paused the transaction until they heard from me.
I did not lose my card.
We went over recent transactions and found a cell phone purchase ($125) and two copies of H&R Block tax software that had been charged.
They marked those fraudulent and killed my card.

What I have deducted is that a server who took my card out of my sight, must have snapped a cell phone pic (or copied down) my card information.
I have a restaurant in mind, but of course it's difficult to prove anything. Hopefully my CC card Fraud Division was able to do something, but they may not give chase due to the amount.

At no one's recommendation, going forward, I'm going to cover/remove my card's information while recording it elsewhere if I need it.
After all, a server/seller only needs the chip.

This has happened to me about 3 tmes over the last 3 yrs with the last time a few weeks ago and I had to get a new card each time.

Not 100% sure how the bad people got my card this last time, think it was due to my internet service company getting hacked and getting their data locked up and a ransom had to be paid. I think the data was stolen including the customer CC data by the hacker. They said no no, but, I think, yes yes.

As for restaurants, I always pay on the way out in person with the card in my hand or I will say lets walk over to take care of this and I leave the table, go get it done and come back with the card never leaving my hands. Server always kinda looks at me funny but I dont care.

CC Fraud sucks.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I was in the Canadian outback a few years ago on vacation. I had a VISA ATM card with me that I planned to spend about $5K with. About 3 days into the trip the card stops working. When I finally got to a place where I could get cell service I called them. They said that somebody in Canada was using my card to buy stuff. I said yeah, that's me. I'm on vacation. They said well, we tried calling you at home and nobody answered so we canceled your card. Of course nobody answered, you jackwagons! I'm in Canada. Now overnight FedEx me a new card!

These days the only credit card I use in restaurants, or anywhere else where it will be out of my sight, is my Apple card. There's no information to steal. Each transaction requires a new, unique transaction code. The static card information is stored on my phone if I need it.

 

[Member 5605]

They don't need to take a photo anymore. They just use the clone machine and store a bunch of cards then reprogram blanks or even hotel cards.

They could have a few dozen and buy with them, leave, come back in and do it again. Keep purchases below $500 and it's never investigated or prosecuted.

 

[CoastRange57]

I got hit with a charge in January that showed Northwest Natural Gas for $ 55.92. I don't have gas, I did not pay anybodies gas bill. Called the bank, they shut my card down, had to go in and get a new one. February I get another charge of $ 69.57 Northwest Natural Gas. So I go into the bank and tell this 23 year old punk that their card security sucks and they better fix this or me and my money are going elsewhere.

So he calls their merchant services who provided the card services. Then he calls me all giddy saying yeah, I called them and they said it came from a Square mobile terminal at a food truck and they were spoofing Northwest Natural Gas on the terminal, and they were right on it. I let a moment of silence pass, and then I asked him " You sure that is the way it went down/" Oh yeah they are going to fix it. " I asked him so how the hell does a Square terminal that requires a card at the POS able to charge my card ?? Silence. I told him your merchant services blew smoke up your azz and you believed it. I told if it happens again in any way, we are done.

So the wife orders some CBD from Northwest Natural Goods. The bank placed a block on the words "northwest and natural" and it took a few days but they shut the purchase down, and the vendors emailed us about it. I told them your problem, take it up with the bank.

There is so much fraud and scams going on the companies cannot even stay ahead of the hacks, and are just doing damage control while the hacks just open up another door. The security level of card transactions is pathetic, and is so dynamic they have trouble even staying current with it much less doing anything preventive.

 

[NCW_Robert]

The Heretic said:

My understanding is that the card issuer does not allow card discounts or charging more for using a CC.

But maybe they can't enforce that very well?

This has LONG been part of the Terms (TOS) by banks to retailers that they are not allowed to do this. Gun shops have been doing it anyway for decades. The bank could if they wished to, pull the shops ability to take plastic. It's easy to see they do not want to push it so they turn a blind eye to it. I have over the years had many take to the net to scream shops can't do this and get angry. I always tell them its the shops choice. If you want a gun they sell that bad and do not have the cash go to any bank and get a cash advance on your card. Go to store and buy the damn gun. They then of course say but they have to pay to do that. Well the shop does too.

Starting in 2013, it became legal to charge customers extra for using a credit card

Link >> Why Merchants Use Credit Card Minimums and Surcharges

 

[Hawaiian]

Many gas stations have cash price and a credit card price.

 

[Alexx1401]

The Heretic said:

My understanding is that the card issuer does not allow card discounts or charging more for using a CC.

But maybe they can't enforce that very well?



Starting in 2013, it became legal to charge customers extra for using a credit card

Link >> Why Merchants Use Credit Card Minimums and Surcharges

Good, I never could understand all the complaining I heard about this. It was not like the shops were picking on only some customers. The policy was for everyone. Glad they finally just put it into law that the Banks could not threaten shops for passing on the charges they have to pay.
I noticed a short time ago Fredmeyer started charging to get cash back with a purchase. I have 80% of my pay go to an online account. I still keep one brick and mortar account just in case I ever have to go to a bank. They require me to make at least 3 transactions a month to keep it free. So I take the card with me a few times and buy stuff. Last time I wanted some cash back it warned me there was a .50 fee. Surprised I have not heard any weeping and gnashing over that now

 

[Alexx1401]

Many gas stations have cash price and a credit card price.

Some started doing that here quite a while back. I at first did not even notice and when I did I did not care. I well remember the days of having to go in and wait in line behind some idiot just to pay. When they started putting card readers at the pump it was great. When I saw they wanted a few cents for to pay at the pump I had zero problems paying it. I have seen the big guys here seem to say if you get their card it's the same as cash. So if anyone is bothered by it they can just get the card they offer to pay.