How do you prevent this?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 14
From: Travelers Rest SC
How do you prevent this?
I got home today to find an e-mail from my bank saying there was 'suspicious activity' on my debit card. Sure nuff- someone got hold of the acct number and went through $1200 today, including a plane ticket to Spain! My bank was very good about, put a stop on the card, and guaranteed my money back within 24 hours. But how do I prevent this happening again? I use the card rarely, and only with reputable businesses. All they got was the number- they made the charges w/o using a PIN. Another interesting thing- the charges are all 'pending', but the bank can't do anything until they actually clear and are posted to my account. I wonder why they can't stop the transactions NOW? I'm gonna keep a lot less money in an active account from now on. I'm thinkin' coffee can in the backyard.....
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
From: Home of FDR, NY
I hear ya, had to close both cc accounts 2x in the last 2 years because of fraud. Even now, I still occasionally get unauthorized charges - had one for "blacksingles.com" show up on the statement- kind of like another delayed slap in the face. Nothing like having your credit jeopardized by some low life with a keyboard 
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
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i just go by never use a debit card for anything. i use a credit card for everything. at least if that gets compromised then i won't be out any hard cold cash and have to fight to get it back.
how to prevent? it is almost impossible unless you just use cash.
anyone can steal a card number and use it, it is easy and due to it being easy, it is very tempting for criminals to get into a job that has access to card numbers.
how to prevent? it is almost impossible unless you just use cash.
anyone can steal a card number and use it, it is easy and due to it being easy, it is very tempting for criminals to get into a job that has access to card numbers.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
It's impossible to prevent it completely unless you never use the card. That's the only way to safeguard the number.
Every time you use the card, there are at least 5 people who have access to the card number, expiration date, basically everything they need to make fraudulent charges.
One thing that I like to do is scratch the CC number off the receipt. Some merchants print the whole number on the receipt, and it's not needed. For some reason restaurants do this more than anyone else. If their copy has my number on it, it won't when they get it back. That's at least one less way for someone to steal it.
Every time you use the card, there are at least 5 people who have access to the card number, expiration date, basically everything they need to make fraudulent charges.
One thing that I like to do is scratch the CC number off the receipt. Some merchants print the whole number on the receipt, and it's not needed. For some reason restaurants do this more than anyone else. If their copy has my number on it, it won't when they get it back. That's at least one less way for someone to steal it.
New User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10
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I was told by the companies that they have readers that go through every card # combination until they get one that works and then they put 2-3 small charges and then they get you on one or 2 big charges before you can catch it if you didnt catch it before with the smaller charges....
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 0
From: Goldsboro, NC
1. Shred your checks. Merchants accept forged checks easier than stolen credit or debit cards.
2. Use a credit card with a low limit that's not tied to your checking or savings accounts. Keep the credit limit as low as possible. Having $10,000 more available credit that you don't need is fraud waiting to happen.
3. Get a credit/debit card that offers fraud protection and use the fraud protection. It might limit your liability to $50.
4. The fun doesn't end when the bank recovers your funds. That's when it gets nasty. After your bank takes the money back from the merchant, the merchants are going to turn it over to their collection department/agency. You will have to fax or mail police reports and/or affidavits from the bank proving fraud else they will smear your credit. (should have qualified this item as check fraud, not sure what happens with debit card fraud). Good luck.
2. Use a credit card with a low limit that's not tied to your checking or savings accounts. Keep the credit limit as low as possible. Having $10,000 more available credit that you don't need is fraud waiting to happen.
3. Get a credit/debit card that offers fraud protection and use the fraud protection. It might limit your liability to $50.
4. The fun doesn't end when the bank recovers your funds. That's when it gets nasty. After your bank takes the money back from the merchant, the merchants are going to turn it over to their collection department/agency. You will have to fax or mail police reports and/or affidavits from the bank proving fraud else they will smear your credit. (should have qualified this item as check fraud, not sure what happens with debit card fraud). Good luck.
Last edited by scole250; Apr 3, 2007 at 07:41 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,628
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From: Calgary, Canada
most of the skimmers and compromised machines are put in place where there is only 1 employee working at some point, usually midnight shift and gas stations are popular for them.
Used to be they would have to slide the card through the regular hand pad as well as their skimmer but now they have compromised hand pads that look legit and work legitimately too.
Used to be they would have to slide the card through the regular hand pad as well as their skimmer but now they have compromised hand pads that look legit and work legitimately too.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
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alot of times its the gas stations but my dad got a thing from a major bank here in NY and apparently somehow they stole a laptop computer from some employee and the thieves were able to get hundreds if not thousands of credit card numbers and related info. They were trying to get him to join some kind of credit protection service where they would monitor it. Most of the times the banks will do what they did for you. Unfortunately tho if its a debit card you may have more problems
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From: Coweta,GA, GO DAWGS!!!!!!
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
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From: Goldsboro, NC
Originally Posted by jake00
to the people who got comprimised....
Are the people using the 3 digit code on the back of the card? My biz wont take a card over the phone without it
Are the people using the 3 digit code on the back of the card? My biz wont take a card over the phone without it
I don't have any good solutions, except putting more liability on the merchant, like charging them with receiving stolen property.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,589
Likes: 2
From: Charlotte, NC
Originally Posted by FLgargoyle
I got home today to find an e-mail from my bank saying there was 'suspicious activity' on my debit card. Sure nuff- someone got hold of the acct number and went through $1200 today, including a plane ticket to Spain! My bank was very good about, put a stop on the card, and guaranteed my money back within 24 hours. But how do I prevent this happening again? I use the card rarely, and only with reputable businesses. All they got was the number- they made the charges w/o using a PIN. Another interesting thing- the charges are all 'pending', but the bank can't do anything until they actually clear and are posted to my account. I wonder why they can't stop the transactions NOW? I'm gonna keep a lot less money in an active account from now on. I'm thinkin' coffee can in the backyard.....
BECAUSE of spam and pfishing on the net....most banks NEVER send "cold" e-mails to their clients and/or "call" them on their phones..........
I'm assuming you called your bank directly (which is safe) and verified this incident?........
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
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i am guessing he received an email stating he had an urgent email message waiting for him and to log into his account to read it, that is what my bank does.
there was a guy i worked with in the Navy that did credit card fraud. he worked at jc penny as a cashier. him and his buddy would take the card numbers after a transaction, then charge some clothes at the store, then return them for cash. they got caught easily after about a month when people started realizing the transactions. they investigated and quickly found out who it was by who was logged into the register at the times it happened.
there was a guy i worked with in the Navy that did credit card fraud. he worked at jc penny as a cashier. him and his buddy would take the card numbers after a transaction, then charge some clothes at the store, then return them for cash. they got caught easily after about a month when people started realizing the transactions. they investigated and quickly found out who it was by who was logged into the register at the times it happened.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,996
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From: Pittsburgh,Pa.
I have 3 credit cards but no debit card.One thing I don't do is access my bank accounts online.The bank tells me how secure their site is and how convenient it is to pay bills online.I still pay bills by snail mail.If I absolutely have to buy something online I do it from work on their pay pal account.I always watch when my card is swiped.Another trick I learned is to write "see photo i.d." in the signature block on the back of the card.It doesn't always work but I make a point of thanking a clerk that thinks to check it.