Lost Cedit Card...Non Valk

[DIGGER]

First time in my 76 yrs while out shopping I lost my American Express Card.  I didnt realize it for about 4-5 hrs. Sure enough who ever found it had started using it.  $287 at a liquor store...$10 Walmarts....$27 at a smoke and vape place.  I called Amex and they froze my card.  The guy tried again at another smoke and vape store for $254 but since the card was now frozen it was declined.  Then at a gas station for $73 that was declined.  Amex worked with me and took the charges off my  statement.  I went to the liqour store and they gave me a picture from cameras of the guy buying liqour.  Then I went to the smoke shop and the young lady behind the counter, Maggy,  was very interested and she gave me the picture from cameras there.  Same guy.  Two days later Maggie from the smoke shop called me and said she had started showing the guys picture to customers as to if they knew him..... she said his name is Jack Brewer and he lives at this address ( gives me address).  I couldnt believe it....I took the info to the local police station and a week later Maggie calls me again and says they got him....sent me a mug shot of his arrest.    Im gonna drop by the smoke shop soon and give Maggie a gift card.   

[Oss]

great work  !

we need more of you

[sandy]

WOW!! Great detective work.

[DIGGER]

Amex took the guys charges off my bill so I wasnt out any money....I just didnt want the guy to get away with it

[carolinarider09]

While not directly related to the OP's original post, I have stopped using a "credit card" for fuel purchases.  That was because I have, in previous years, had several "stolen" card information issues. 

I would use my credit card at the Gas Pump (usually slide in not "Tap") and a few days later I'd see a charge I did not make for something else.  One event was for ammunition reloading equipment.  It also happened when I used my card inside a station for purchasing a fixed amount at the pump.  And yes, I could have, without a doubt, identified the station or place that made the illegal transaction.  But I did not.

As above, I monitor my credit card usage and almost immediately saw the illegal charges and protested the charges to the credit card Bank.  All illegal charges that I protested were removed from my account.  However, in every "case" my card was made invalid and I could no longer use the card and had to wait a week or so for a new one.

I got tired of having to worry about the card usage and potential stealing of my card's information at gas stations and restaurants.  So, I now only use cash in restaurants and use a pre-paid Debit Card for gas.  Yes, it cost about $7 for a $200 debit card but..........

Just for the record, I have tired or shall we say purchased several different "branded" debit cards.  The only ones that I have found that are accepted at the pump for gas are "Vanilla Gift" cards.

https://www.vanillagift.com

And yes, carrying cash on long trips does require some additional safeguards. 

[F6Dave]

Those skimmers that can steal your card info when paying for gas won't work if you use 'tap to pay'. Most pumps I use now have that feature.

I prefer using a credit card for multiple reasons. One is that I get 2% cash back, which adds up. The other is that you're giving the merchant (or scammer) access to the bank's funds, not directly to your bank account like a debit card does. I've found that a credit card issuer will work faster to resolve disputes because their money is at stake.

A few years ago a utility bill was charged to my checking account. Apparently it's extremely easy to walk into a business that offers 'bill pay' services, give them account numbers from a utility bill and a checking account, and charge your bill to anyone's bank account. I get daily debit notices from my bank so I called them the next morning. It took them 3 days to research the problem and credit my account. The bank fixed everything, but didn't seem to be in a great hurry.

[old2soon]

    Still have my Visa credit card from U S Bank. Shortly after I retired U S Ban called me. Hi I'm so and so in the U S Bank credit card dept and Mr. Patterson may I ask where are you this very minute. Well I'm at home in Willow Springs Mo. You are Not in Oregon then? Uh NO in Southern Missouri enjoyin the day! This was still the time I had to call the U S Bank credit card dept to let them know my itinerary if I was traveling. Had a similar thing when I was still drivin big truck. I was in Florida and the bank had a fraudulent charge in Washington state! And I Always check my statements from the bank fer crappola! RIDE SAFE.

[Serk]

~20 years ago someone skimmed our debit card, had a good ole' time with it taking a road trip up to the Boston area as I recall.

Our local police were working with our bank and tracking the transactions, letting them go through to try to catch these guys.

They checked into a fancy hotel in the Boston area, our local cops called the cops in the area, they went, talked to the thieves, but refused to arrest them. Flat out said it'd be a paperwork nightmare with jurisdiction with the theft of the card being in Texas but the theft of money being in Boston, just told 'em to stop using the card and let 'em go.

Decades later, I'm still pissed about this.

Also, for security it appears the best right now is to add your card (Debit or credit) to a wallet on your phone and enable tap to pay with your phone.

That way the card is locked behind a finger print or whatever you use to secure your phone, and the tap to pay is an encrypted communication between your phone and the terminal, no card numbers visible for a camera, no (Current) way for a skimmer to read it.

100%? Never. But very good so far. And most financial institutions will make you whole if someone does get it anyway.

[Hook#3287]

I have a main credit card I use and one back up.

I have a debit card I use mostly for food and entertainment I keep a somewhat low balance on.

All are set up to text and email me whenever used.

This system works well and although my main card has been hacked several times over the years, I've nipped it in the bud after the first misuse.

I've even talked the rep into overnighting a new card by stating I'll just start using my backup from now on.

[Pluggy]

Our lesson started at a restaurant.  At some places, your payment card goes in a little folder and the waiter takes it "to the back to run it".  The waiter, a big mouth, must have taken a picture of my card and used the number for a hotel room in Charlotte. Over $900.  Many hotels don't make the big charge until you check out, so it appears the dude got away with it.

Fortunately, it didn't cost us.

I learned {like Hook says) get the transaction record sent to your phone as soon as it happens.  Don't lose sight of your card.  And paying cash can avoid some problems.

[carolinarider09]

Yes, I did forget to mention, as several have above, that I now how automatic notifications on my credit cards of charges that exceed a set value (say $25). 

It allows me to not only keep track of charges I make but to watch for potential credit card information being stolen. 

And, as others have mentioned above, I try and stay away from using my "Credit Card" at places that do not have a "TAP" to pay function.  There is one exception to this and that is the local Walmart I use does not currently have "Tap" to pay. 

I have been told that "Tap" to pay provides an end to end encryption of the data regarding your card being used and is therefore "safe" to use for payment (i.e. cannot be easily "stolen").  And I have seen "gas stations" that have a "Tap" to pay option available on their system but it would not work when I tired. Again, the other reason I do not use my "Credit" card at a gas station any longer.   

[F6Dave]

I have my notifications set to let me know of any transaction regardless of the amount. Several years ago I got a call from my credit card company, asking if I had made a $5 charge in Europe. I had not, and they immediately cancelled and reissued the card. They told me that scammers often try making a small charge to see if it goes through, then follow up with a much larger amount. Even if I spend 5 bucks at the grocery store I get an immediate notification, which I like because it verifies that their system is working.

[Serk]

There is one exception to this and that is the local Walmart I use does not currently have "Tap" to pay.     

They soon will....

https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2026/08/21/more-ways-to-pay-tap-to-pay-is-coming-to-walmart-and-sams-club