Holiday Credit Card scammers - shoppers please beware

[D&T]

I'm posting this because I think this is no accident. I just checked my bank account which links to my Debit/Credit card I use frequently and I have had two UNAUTHORIZED transaction pending to go through. I don't know how these people got my number and they wait for this holiday to use your card via internet since many are out of town, holiday functions and many purchases that go on so maybe they do the shopping with your card number on the holiday day because they don't think you will notice, However I check my account daily as I'm paranoid for something like this to happen since it happened to me in the past. I have had to call my bank to close this debit card account and now I have to go through the claims department when it post...ugggg! This happened exactly the same way last year during this same Thanksgiving and Christmas time but it was more costly last year, only my credit card company called me because the transaction pushed my "limit" So everyone please check your account and make sure that there is no scamming unauthorized activity that is happening right now.

 

[packrat]

YIKES! I''m glad you caught it before hand D&T! Timely advice for everyone, I''d say!

 

[Indylady]

Oh dear! I''m glad you caught them D&T, and thanks for the memo.

 

[arjunajane]

Hi D&T, I am sorry to hear of your troubles. And you''re right, unfortunately it does seem to be the holiday times that bring out the scammers.

You are good to be vigilant if you''ve been done before.
I am still only using cash here, as in the last couple months nearly every McDonalds outlet in our city (yes, the worlds largest franchise!), was hit by scammers who replaced the usual Eftpos terminals with card-skimming devices - than anyone who used them, their accounts were emptied!
I couldn''t believe that McDonalds could be so lax on security.
So even though I hardly eat there, I am now paranoid about using Eftpos at the gas station, market etc as it seems too easy for the scammers.

Here is an article about it

That was written on Oct 21st, and states over 3500 peoples'' cards were compromised so far to the tune of 4million$

 

[D&T]

AJ - thanks for the article,

I''ve heard about those on the gas station, I only use my cards online and a couple of restaurants, so I''m just wondering where in the world or what site or whom would have gotten those numbers... what a pain...uggg

It is so weird because exactly one year ago today, same thing but with another credit card of mine, I only have two so its easy to keep track. I hope everyone else stays safe.

 

[HVVS]

This same thing has happened to two people I know who banked at banks that were recently taken over by PNC. In both cases, the person's bank account was drained by someone apparently owning a fraudulent copy of the ATM/debit card. One person said his account had two small withdrawals, like $20-$30, then the remainder of the transactions were retail store purchases of a large TV and other items until the account was tapped out. He wasn't sure how they got his information, either. It could have actually been copied some time ago but not used until recently. PNC is reimbursing both people but it takes 24 hours or two business days.

It may be "Russia Maffia." We had one local arrest of a person making fraudulent debit cards and store gift cards. Computers and equipment were seized from his home and from friends homes when the arrests were made. We are not far from Detroit and Chicago.

 

[Dancing Fire]

D&T
sorry to hear this but that''s why i never wanted a debit card. they can drain all the cash from your account.

 

[monarch64]

That happened to me this past spring. However, I have suspicions it happened because I had used my debit card at TJMaxx the same week and I''ve received notifications from them before that their information has been compromised. At any rate, it wasn''t that big a deal for me to go to my bank, dispute the charges, and get my money back. Either the charges "fell off" meaning they just never went through, or the bank credited my account for the ones that did. It wasn''t like I had thousands of dollars sitting in that account, anyway, they couldn''t have done that much damage.

 

[perry]

I do not have a debit card, and do not authorize automatic withdrawls from my bank accounts - precisely for financial security reasons.

I only modestly use credit cards. Most day to day purchases are with cash (and I typically go to the bank once a week to get a weeks worth of cash).

Right now, the biggest losses that banks and credit card companies are taking is from fraud. How long they can continue to cover such losses and stay in business is an interesting question.

Perry

 

[crown1]

Date: 11/28/2009 10:01:46 AM
Author: perry
I do not have a debit card, and do not authorize automatic withdrawls from my bank accounts - precisely for financial security reasons.


I only modestly use credit cards. Most day to day purchases are with cash (and I typically go to the bank once a week to get a weeks worth of cash).


Right now, the biggest losses that banks and credit card companies are taking is from fraud. How long they can continue to cover such losses and stay in business is an interesting question.


Perry

seems like a no brainer to loose all of this money in the name of convenience. i carry a reasonable amount of cash and only use check or credit card for high dollar purchases. i don''t have a debit card either. all credit card purchases are paid in full monthly. i really don''t like using cards period, it is just too risky. if there is little or no other choice i can live with it, but day to day living, i think cash is the way to go.

 

[justginger]

AJ, mine was nailed at the Macca''s in Forrestfield!

When I landed in the States in October, I checked my online banking, only to discover that $700 CANADIAN dollars had been skimmed. Not Australian or American, but Canadian and from a venue in Canada. BankWest obviously gave it back to me, but I was still insulted.

Thankfully I frequently move money between a transaction account (linked to the card) and a high-interest, online account that can not be accessed by the card. Otherwise, there would have been substancially more they could have made off with.

This is a practice that those who wish to still use cards could consider, as a safeguard.

A good timely warning, D&T. It''s easy to get flippant about card usage these days, since it''s become a common fixture of the holiday season - and like you said, people are wrapped up in other things and are less likely to monitor their accounts.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Yikes, sorry this happened to you. We had two major unauthorized transactions through someone who got our debit number and luckily, at the time, we banked with a credit union and they replaced the funds within a day.

Like Perry, I try and use cash as much as possible. It''s easier than subtracting numerous $8.00 (or whatever) amounts from my account and I always use cash when buying clothes otherwise I''m not able to track how much I''ve spent.

 

[D&T]

what a pain

I just claimed one small transaction back, and now I have to wait for the other to post, then make a claim on that and wait for my other debit card to arrive... geesh! uggg,,, why can''t this world just be honest with one another

anyhoot! I used to use cash, but for me, I''m not very good with cash, as I am on my debit card, and not many now adays likes checks but this is the risk you run into I guess. Pros and Cons with everything in life I guess.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 11/28/2009 11:43:24 AM
Author: justginger
AJ, mine was nailed at the Macca''s in Forrestfield!

When I landed in the States in October, I checked my online banking, only to discover that $700 CANADIAN dollars had been skimmed. Not Australian or American, but Canadian and from a venue in Canada. BankWest obviously gave it back to me, but I was still insulted.

Thankfully I frequently move money between a transaction account (linked to the card) and a high-interest, online account that can not be accessed by the card. Otherwise, there would have been substancially more they could have made off with.

This is a practice that those who wish to still use cards could consider, as a safeguard.


A good timely warning, D&T. It''s easy to get flippant about card usage these days, since it''s become a common fixture of the holiday season - and like you said, people are wrapped up in other things and are less likely to monitor their accounts.

oh wow, sorry to hear you got hit JG! I actually haven''t spoken to anyone yet that got taken, surprisingly. I''m glad B''west sorted it out for you.
Interesting that it was $CAD..