Identity or debit/credit card theft?

thavoice Senior Member
15,437 posts 42 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 12:51 PM

Anyone had their identity or debit or credit card info stolen?

 

Found out a few weeks ago my debit card number was stolen and just over 2k used.   Bank notified me and found it had been going on for 3 weeks.

 

I went credit card free as a new yrs resolution in the year 2000.  Just wanted to live debt free.   I know, it's not great for your credit but I did it.    I realized CC gives your more protections and after this debacle I bit the bullet and got one.

 

Trying to track down where and how this happened.   In Milwaukee we believe the vslet company took the car for a few miles....and the very next day the charges stsrted.   Seems very fishy.


BR1986FB Senior Member
27,923 posts 123 reps Joined Feb 2010
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 1:10 PM

Haven't had it happen (knock wood) but my girlfriend's son had his info hacked by someone in China ($600) and a co-worker's wife had her info stolen to the tune of 3-4k by someone in the Carolinas.

It's getting harder & harder to protect your info, especially with all of the stuff people do on cell phones. I'd never log into an account on a cell or pay something from a cell.

like_that 1st Team All-PWN
29,228 posts 321 reps Joined Apr 2010
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 1:51 PM

My credit card had a $3,500 charge on it from a Florida grocery store a few years ago  Capital One immediately sent me a new card and credited me back the $3,500.

 

What happens in the case of a debit card?  Will the bank refund you $2K?

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 115 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 2:03 PM

Had my CC stolen about 4 or 5 times (I travel a lot).  Personally I think restaurants and bars are the biggest culprits - I actually forgot my card at an airport restaurant/bar.....2 days later, yep, fraudulent charges.  Can't believe retailers - and it's mostly online retailers - haven't figured out a better way to combat that fraud.

And it's never been a big deal.  Just tell the bank which charges are bogus and done.  Haven't even had to fill out paper work after the first time.  I do use my ATM card a lot, but rarely it's debit feature - no idea what would happen if someone stole cash from my account as the bank has no recourse against a merchant.  I think as a safety feature I need to de-link my ATM card from my savings, since I don't generally keep a ton in my checking.

Also had my identity stolen, but fortunately they lacked just enough info that they got rejected for credit all but a few places.  Now I have a free lifetime lock on my credit as a result, and haven't seen any hits in several years.

BR1986FB Senior Member
27,923 posts 123 reps Joined Feb 2010
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 2:04 PM
posted by like_that

My credit card had a $3,500 charge on it from a Florida grocery store a few years ago  Capital One immediately sent me a new card and credited me back the $3,500.

 

What happens in the case of a debit card?  Will the bank refund you $2K?

Girlfriend's son had the $600 stolen from his debit card. They refunded it back.

Zunardo Senior Member
815 posts 15 reps Joined Nov 2010
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 2:08 PM

15 years ago, a  credit card my wife and I didn't use much was compromised.  Someone made about $400 in purchases, none of them local.  Bank called, said they were suspicious.  I signed an affidavit stating they were fraudulent, and the bank took care of everything Never had an issue since.

 

Back in May of this year, my home email, eBay account and PayPal account got compromised - someone ordered a $400 video camera from seller in Florida, charged it to my Ebay/PayPal account, then tried to have it mailed to Virginia  - fortunately, it never went there.

I caught the flurry of emails within 30 minutes of the activity, and was on the horn to everyone, including threatening legal action against the seller for agreeing to mail the camera to a completely different address.  The bank credited my account almost immediately, and I changed my passwords immediately on everything.

I looked up the address the thief wanted it sent to - turned out to be a internal stop number at a shipping warehouse on the docks near Virginia Beach.  A Google search revealed that most of the names associated with the warehouse were Russian.  It sounded like a Law & Order episode about the Russian mob.  Probably a lot of theft and smuggling going on thru that conduit.

What was really frightening about this was seeing the messages on my eBay account supposedly coming from me, going to the seller.   I halfway thought of getting an empty camera shipping carton, filling it with dog poop from my yard, and mailing it to the address at the warehouse, and enclose a note saying, "Busted, you POS".  Thought better of it.  They know where I live.

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 115 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 2:08 PM
posted by BR1986FB

I'd never log into an account on a cell or pay something from a cell.

I do use Google/Android pay, but only from my watch (it resets and prompts for a password if you take the watch off). 

Otherwise, I do no banking or trading from my phone.  If I do, like say to deposit a check, I never save the login info...I then delete the app and change my password.

I use my computer all the time for banking, but it's password protected.  And my next laptop will have a thumbprint scanner.  Also looking at the 2-factor ubikey (which I'd probably just leave permanently in the USB port).

BR1986FB Senior Member
27,923 posts 123 reps Joined Feb 2010
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 2:11 PM
posted by gut

I do use Google/Android pay, but only from my watch (it resets and prompts for a password if you take the watch off). 

Otherwise, I do no banking or trading from my phone.  If I do, like say to deposit a check, I never save the login info...I then delete the app and change my password.

I use my computer all the time for banking, but it's password protected.  And my next laptop will have a thumbprint scanner.  Also looking at the 2-factor ubikey (which I'd probably just leave permanently in the USB port).

That's how my girlfriend's kid got dinged, using his phone. With all of the people sharing WIFI and stuff, I don't trust it.

thavoice Senior Member
15,437 posts 42 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 2:36 PM
posted by like_that

My credit card had a $3,500 charge on it from a Florida grocery store a few years ago  Capital One immediately sent me a new card and credited me back the $3,500.

 

What happens in the case of a debit card?  Will the bank refund you $2K?

Chase has been great in re funding it all.  Not sure if having my mortgage there made them be more helpful but having no issues.  I know that debit has less protection plus they take your money so going forward I'm using cc.    I used that card for only the hotels, gas and car rental and tix All else was cash on the trip.   

Just seemed odd when we got our car from the valet....so,thing seemed off and I noticed more miles on it.   They insisted it wasn't used but the next day it started for online purchases mostly in.........Wisconsin and Minnesota ironically.    

 

QuakerOats Senior Member
11,701 posts 66 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 4:28 PM

Wife had her wallet lifted out of her purse in a Pittsburgh bar; we realized it within about 1 hour and immediately began process of shutting down cards, but it was a Saturday night and we did not have all info necessary with us etc... and it was just before iPhones etc.. Within an hour they took the debit card and whacked the bank account for around $10,000 by buying gift cards at Best Buy in $2k lots (that's the quickest way for them to monetize the debit card, and then sell off the gift cards or the loot they buy with them).  I would never normally have had that much in the checking account, but I had just transferred a large amount of funds in to the account to pay an upcoming tuition bill ---- their timing was pure luck, C---suckers.  They also charged up a couple thousand at Macy's and maybe a couple other places before we could get everything shut down.  Luckily I had the big credit card(s) in my wallet. 

All credit card charges were reversed, and all but $50 of the cash was returned to the checking account.  If you notify the bank within 3 days (I think it is) of the fraud, you can only lose $50; if it is over a week before you notice and advise, I think you can lose $500, and if it is over 30 days you can be on the hook for more.  

That was the END of debit cards for our main account .....she still has one for her small checking account.  If I need walking-around money I cash an old fashioned check at the bank.  

 

 

FatHobbit Senior Member
9,058 posts 68 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 10:03 PM

I've had my credit card number stolen numerous times. I'm not sure how they do it, but the cc companies are really good at fixing it. Sometimes they even catch it which amazes me because i use my credit card everywhere without trouble (multiple states and countries) and sometimes they catch them before i do. 

Back in the day i knew a guy who was shady as hell. He worked for discover and sold credit card numbers on the side...

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 115 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Dec 20, 2017 10:32 PM
posted by FatHobbit
Sometimes they even catch it which amazes me because i use my credit card everywhere without trouble (multiple states and countries) and sometimes they catch them before i do. 

They usually call me after the first or second suspicious transaction.  I don't know how they do it, either, because I travel and a couple of times it easily could have been me.  I don't get many false alarms, either...probably just a few (where they ask me to confirm a handful of transactions).

I think it's a combination of big ticket items (like a tv) bought in a store where you don't live, online transactions you've never bought (i.e. baby items), and location vs. time (i.e. you swiped at a gas station in OH 4 hours ago, and now you're ringing a Walmart in NJ).

MontyBrunswick Senior Member
1,065 posts 16 reps Joined Mar 2015
Thu, Dec 21, 2017 1:47 PM

I write checks for everything to prevent this behavior

TrollerCoaster Junior Member
62 posts 5 reps Joined Mar 2017
Tue, Oct 2, 2018 9:06 PM

Decapitate the perpetrator.

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