Credit Card Fraud/Theft

[DirectDrive]

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.

Read More

 

[Kruel J]

If you provide me your CC information I'm sure I can help.



NR. That sucks man, I had it happen once too. A real PITA.

 

[Member 34319]

About every 6months to 1 year either my wife or I have this happen. Usually someone on the other side of the country trying to buy random stuff. Card gets flagged. Bank issues new card, all charges reversed.

I wouldn't be surprised during these times that this increases. Mostly as online shopping increases. Hell, I bought a Ruger 10/22 bolt from a place I've never heard of the other day, simply as it was in stock and not gouged.

Lots of shady online shopping going on right now stuck at home.

 

[DirectDrive]

It just never occurred to me that I should wipe off my card numbers.
A simple click of a cell phone camera and they just pulled your pants down.
I recommend covering/wiping your numbers off of your cards.
They don't need to see those numbers unless they are a thief.

You don't have to lose your card.

 

[Helocat]

CC theft is massive and the banks that issue the card don't care. The system will not change until people stop using them due to all the fraud. That whole "your guaranteed to get your $$ back" is not the bank givnig your $ back. Its them taking it from any retailer that accepted the card when it was being used fraudulently. The crappy thing is us retailers rely on the card companies to tell us if the card number, billing address etc. are good to verify if its fraud. Even when they say YES, we the small business vendor will have to EAT the fraud, NOT the big bank.

To recap they have a broken security system but cultured card use that if a vendor does not take cards, they might as well be out of biz, BUT that vendor is the one holding the bag in the end. SO we raise our prices to offset the fraud that is then passed on to the consumers that most don't realize they are now paying. Much like Gov. Browns Oregon corperation "Operations tax" seeking a 3% sales tax on all Oregonians.

 

[Tarawa86]

I have an alert on my main CC that notifies me every time a charge is processed; it caught a $4K Best Buy online purchase someone tried to make with it. I monitor my cards pretty closely since I travel for work and give them out frequently; it's worth it to do a quick transaction log check every couple of days.

The funniest incident was someone using one of my CC's to stay at a motel 6. Seriously, if you're going to commit fraud, at least try to live large and not stay in places you're likely to pick up bedbugs.

 

[Stomper]

I have an alert on my main CC that notifies me every time a charge is processed; it caught a $4K Best Buy online purchase someone tried to make with it. I monitor my cards pretty closely since I travel for work and give them out frequently; it's worth it to do a quick transaction log check every couple of days.

The funniest incident was someone using one of my CC's to stay at a motel 6. Seriously, if you're going to commit fraud, at least try to live large and not stay in places you're likely to pick up bedbugs.

Maybe the hookers that work Motel 6's try harder at customer satisfaction....

 

[westcoastal]

A year ago, my bank card expiring and I was issued a new one.
I got an alert and call from fraud alert place my card had been flagged and blocked for unusual purchases on the east coast.
Problem is, it was for the new card with new numbers, I received in the mail 3 days later. Can't even trust the bank.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

The few years I had HEAVY fraudulent card issues was when I was hanging out in Portland a lot with friends or while dating and using my card for dinner and drinks.

I only pay cash downtown now because of that.. and sure enough, my card hasn't been compromised since.

I did hear Aim and Apex had terrible web security and Ive had a couple of emails from them saying my data may have been hacked.

 

[CountryGent]

We had the exact same thing happen to our primary card just before my wife headed out to eastern Oregon, so the timing was just great for some scuzzbag to try to use the number. Charges reversed and new one issued. Fortunately we have backup cards for this sort of thing.

 

[Helocat]

I have an alert on my main CC that notifies me every time a charge is processed; it caught a $4K Best Buy online purchase someone tried to make with it. I monitor my cards pretty closely since I travel for work and give them out frequently; it's worth it to do a quick transaction log check every couple of days.

The funniest incident was someone using one of my CC's to stay at a motel 6. Seriously, if you're going to commit fraud, at least try to live large and not stay in places you're likely to pick up bedbugs.

HAHA Motel 6!!! Thats great.

Mine was the woman who uses my last name and bought $40k of Coach (high-end handbags, wallets etc. high fashion stuff) products in person at the NYC flagship Coach store. She then had them all shipped to her (our I guess?) home in Florida, not the billing address that she had and provided them mind you in Oregon. The charge was approved and was paid by the bank to Coach, that then Coach ate refunding it all back to the bank. I was only out of the pain in the rear of my card being replaced. Coach's accounting never spoke to their salespeople so they still have me on their high roller list. That Christmas I got a gift box of goodies, chocolates, Coach pen etc for being a "preferred customer". BUT since my name is still on the Coach high roller list I still get handwritten invites to special events and after-hour meetups in their NYC store. One of these days I am going to fly in for one and show up in my Carahrts, workboots and Trump hat, flash them that pass and go hog on the champagne and food.

 

[The Heretic]

A year or so ago I had someone charge a DNA test to my card. Come to find out that they do this to turn around and resell them on Amazon. When the card owner finds out, they get the charges reversed, the buyer of the DNA test gets shafted too because the test won't go thru then.

I figured the most likely culprit was somebody at a gas station where I handed them my card. Now I put the card in the pump myself. As much as possible, I don't let my card out of my sight. If I pay at a restaurant, it is usually at their cashier stand - although not always.

Either way, I have Chase text me for each and every charge to my card - every single one. The DNA test was $20 something IIRC, easy to miss, but I check every charge I get texted with, and then check the monthly statements too, on both CC and ATM cards.

 

[Member 34319]

That's usually how it starts. Small charges like $5-10. Then if they clear. They go buy a TV or something. Most of mine were like that.

And yes, usually the seller, IE Best Buy, is the one getting the bill. However those big box stores are usually insured.So these card reversals usually only really hurt small retailers that don't carry 100,000 monthly insurance policies.

 

[The Heretic]

I got the alert, and literally within minutes I called my CC co. and had them investigate it. About an hour later they cancelled my card and sent me a new one within a week.

 

[Unicykle]

Had mine chared for almost $1500 a couple years back then i got another card with a $350 limit for most my online purchases.

 

[Mikej]

I can't believe with number of CC frauds that goes on that some restaurants (granted these are mainly dive bar/grills, my preferred night out) STILL want you to give them a credit card to put behind the bar. I won't do it. My card stays in my possession. I walk out. I usually go up to the register to pay rather than handing it to the server too.

 

[Provincial]

That's usually how it starts. Small charges like $5-10. Then if they clear. They go buy a TV or something. Most of mine were like that.

And yes, usually the seller, IE Best Buy, is the one getting the bill. However those big box stores are usually insured.So these card reversals usually only really hurt small retailers that don't carry 100,000 monthly insurance policies.

And the consumers, who pay with increased costs!

 

[Hueco]

If you provide me your CC information I'm sure I can help.



NR. That sucks man, I had it happen once too. A real PITA.

Wait...just once? This occurs for me about as often as a birthday.

About every 6months to 1 year either my wife or I have this happen. Usually someone on the other side of the country trying to buy random stuff. Card gets flagged. Bank issues new card, all charges reversed.

Yep, this is more my experience. Funniest one I had, my wife and I went to Chicago for a work trip that I had (might as well take some PTO while there since work is flying me there and back, right?). We got home and someone had racked up $4k at The North Face store. I'm still trying to figure out why anyone would ever spend that much there...some decent clothing, but their gear leaves a lot to be desired.

It just never occurred to me that I should wipe off my card numbers.
A simple click of a cell phone camera and they just pulled your pants down.
I recommend covering/wiping your numbers off of your cards.
They don't need to see those numbers unless they are a thief.

You don't have to lose your card.

This would stop an idiot thief (granted, most are) but an enterprising young gun would get a credit card reader, swipe your card, and store the data on their phone. It's not that hard to get the account numbers if they've got physical access to the card.

But, if you're going to scrub data physically off the card, don't forget about the CVV. Go big or go home, right?

CC theft is massive and the banks that issue the card don't care. The system will not change until people stop using them due to all the fraud. That whole "your guaranteed to get your $$ back" is not the bank givnig your $ back. Its them taking it from any retailer that accepted the card when it was being used fraudulently. The crappy thing is us retailers rely on the card companies to tell us if the card number, billing address etc. are good to verify if its fraud. Even when they say YES, we the small business vendor will have to EAT the fraud, NOT the big bank.

To recap they have a broken security system but cultured card use that if a vendor does not take cards, they might as well be out of biz, BUT that vendor is the one holding the bag in the end. SO we raise our prices to offset the fraud that is then passed on to the consumers that most don't realize they are now paying. Much like Gov. Browns Oregon corperation "Operations tax" seeking a 3% sales tax on all Oregonians.

So much *this*. When you swipe your card, the bank is collecting some nominal dollar figure plus a percent of the transaction total as a fee for processing the card...and they collect this from the business that is making the sale. Normally, funds are then taken from your account and sent to the merchant's account. If fraud is reported, the bank stops this process - they reverse the charge on your card and no money is forwarded to the merchant (if money was already sent, it's charged back to the bank).

In many cases, this means that the merchant has already paid the bank that credit card transaction fee and their product is already delivered. Yes, this is theft, but there is little recourse for the merchant. They basically take the loss of that fee and the loss of inventory. It sucks, but they have to accept credit cards and the risk of processing them in order to make sales in today's purchase culture (though, it amazes me that more businesses don't offer cash discounts for 1) being able to conduct the sale without involving a transaction fee and 2) absolving themselves of any fraud risk)

If you use your CC a lot, then it's only a matter of time before you see a fraudulent transaction. Personally, I get ahead of this by refreshing my cards annually (doesn't make the bank happy - they seem to only want to reissue cards *after* fraud, not as a preemptive measure). I've had less actual fraud happen since beginning this practice when before, it was at least an annual occurrence.

Dealing with fraud isn't much of a headache at all, but it can really hurt the business who suffered the theft. So, I do my best to not let my info get out there for use.

 

[teflon6string]

As a staunch cash guy for 64 years, I recently quit touching money (it's actually quite filthy) and started using plastic for everything. Anything I used to do with my cards was pretty easy to track from month to month - always zero or maybe a specific amount for tires or something. But now with numerous monthly purchases, perhaps several dozen, I'll have to start paying closer attention to that bill. YMMV.

 

[JuglansRegia]

I got a call from B of A maybe 10 years ago about suspicious activity on a card I don't think I had used since it was issued. It was for a purchase at a subway location somewhere in Mexico. I asked the lady that called how this could happen, she said a lot of it is just random, but once they get one that works, then they go on a shopping spree. The last time it happened was in October of 2019, we took a day trip to Sisters OR to buy some raw materials from a vendor paid with a company check, then we had dinner in town, company CC, the next day I tried to buy gas with it and that card was already locked up, someone had tried to buy something online at Walmart with it and it wasn't me. The server I gave it to was the only person that took it out of my sight since it was issued. The charges were reversed but I have no idea if law enforcement ever gets involved, and the CC company doesn't really ask enough questions to solve the mystery so I think they just don't care, its just a procedural thing for them.