Scum got me

[valkmc]

Day started out great here in Central Florida, 68 degrees and a fresh cup of coffee as I sat outside on the patio enjoying the fresh air. Decided to grab the laptop and check the old bank accounts out. I do this about three times a week because I am paranoid. Opened the personal checking account and quickly noticed a pending charge for McDonalds in Belmont CA, reviewed the rest of the account and found three more charges in CA. So I now have total shut down on my accounts, Spent a couple of hours with the fraud people as they worked on figuring it out. The last charge was made minutes before I signed on to my accounts.

Can't figure it out though, charges started late Thursday night, two more charges Friday and one Sat. am. Nothing large, Gas station, Walgreens, etc a total of around $100. Does not seem worth it to go through all the trouble of getting the card number, testing it on Thursday to make sure it works and then not using it to make large purchases. They used the Visa debit card and ran it as credit because they did not have the pin #. Anyone think this could somehow have been a bank screw up?

The fraud people were not very forth coming other than info on when the charges were made and where, they said they are investigating. I am glad I check my accounts, guess it will be a daily check now. I will be reimbursed for the $ but need to get new cards and such before Thursday because I am headed for Daytona Thursday afternoon through Sunday Morning.

[sandy]

When I get a new debit card annualy, I never activate the credit feature. The card works as a debit only which needs a pin number. Credit feature is blocked. Not many store clerks check ID's anymore. So far I've not had any ID thefts.

[valkmc]

When I get a new debit card annualy, I never activate the credit feature. The card works as a debit only which needs a pin number. Credit feature is blocked. Not many store clerks check ID's anymore. So far I've not had any ID thefts.

I am going to look into that, did not know it was an option. I never use the credit feature anyway.

[laserpat]

my acounts got hacked, possibly by a virus on my lap top. They got my user name and password and transfered $9,200 out of my  acounts. I was told of a service that sends you a text when you have a credit card transaction.

[Joe Hummer]

My cards got hit too. A magic camp in Austin, TX got hit with 1500 $0.01 charged. The place found them and voided them. But last night we noticed a charge on my wife's account. A comcast gift card for $5.44???  There had been a couple of other charges too. I say they need to string all of them up by thier shorthairs. Then let's see if they do it again. 

[musclehead]

talk about not really worth it, i heard of a group of credit card scammers that set up fraudulent companies then ran peoples cards through them only doing .25 cents to a few dollars at a time. they managed to steal 9 million that way before being caught.

I've heard that they can wave a device at your pocket and get data of the magnetic stripe on your card, they have put an extra reader in ATMs and fuel pumps that are unsecured by extra locks.
one enterprising group of thieves set up a fake ATM that collected cards and pins but gave no money. they later collected the data and cards and robbed the real ATMS.

it takes great work and thought to keep from working

[alph]

I have three credit cards.  One I use only for internet purchases (discover).  One is only used as a back up (visa) if the second (chase visa) gets to the point of there being some questionable charges on it.   That way, if I don’t want to use the chase card for a month to monitor whether or not anyone is “tapping” into it, I’m not without having a card.  Once every couple weeks I look into each account to monitor any charges.  I pay off the balance at that time if they are correct.

[Jabba]

I go thru life and let the fraud dept's worry about it.  I have never had one of them screw me.

I have had a few fradulent charges... and the bank has always taken care of me.

Jabba

[valkmc]

I go thru life and let the fraud dept's worry about it.  I have never had one of them screw me.

I have had a few fradulent charges... and the bank has always taken care of me.

Jabba

I know that is how I have been, heard all the stories and just thought if it happens to me I will fix it. I don't use credit cards very often but I live on my visa debit card. Don't carry much cash. I am really myth-ed as to why someone would acquire the number use it once  a day for small purchases and not slam it once it worked. I still am leaning toward a bank error, someone got a new debit card and it was attached to the wrong account or something. Unless this was just a scam to get into my accounts, I do not know enough about how bank security to see how this type of fraud would help the bad guy get more money from me.