Remember when a thief

[skeeterator]

had to actually confront you to steal your money?I mean they had to hold you up at gunpoint or with a knife etc and take the cash you had in your wallet?As bad as it was at least you knew it happened.

Went to see "man on a ledge" last night with the gf and on the way home stopped for some gas.Inserted my debit card at the pump and was declined and i figured it was just an error with that pump.We had just used it at the theater with no issue so i thought nothing of it.Next gas station,same thing,hit an atm and the screen said "unauthorized user".Well now i'm pretty hot cause i didn't have cash on me and still needed gas and i've gotten used to using the card for everything.About this time my cell rings and its my banks fraud department informing me that my account is locked.Apparently some ahole hacked a system somewhere that i've used my card and made a fake one with my number on it and then sold that card for cash.While i was watching a movie in indiana "i" was also in a wal mart in kasas city at the exact same time buying $203 worth of crap.

Luckily for me my bank instantly caught it and locked the account before they drained my checking.Its going to take 5 days to get my money refunded and 10 days for a new debit card so its all getting taken care of but just a huge pain in the ass!! Whoever used the fake card at wally world is on camera so they may get caught but more than likely the actual hacker never will.Gotta love the technology today that allows a thief to rob you from the comfort of his easy chair.Looks like i'm back to carrying cash for a while now,funny how that seems weird in todays world.

[stratos284]

That sucks!!!!!!!!
A couple years ago someone hit mine for about 800 bucks worth of photography crap, I just happened to check my account the same day it happened and shut down my card. took a few days and some paperwork but finally got my money back.
All hackers should be shot in the head and left in the streets for all other hackers to see

[Phoenix Jim]

been ther done that and now we try to use cash as much as possible. Also, never give the waitress your card to go pay for a meal. Never know what is going on when it is out of site. We now get an email on the computer and cell phone everytime our card is used. only thing that sucks about that is the wife knows when I ordered some tackle

[bschwoep]

It sucks, always have to keep an eye on your account unfortunately. Glad they caught it right away.


I recently booked a vacation, and my credit card wouldn't even let the transaction go through since it was in another country. I had to call the number on the back of the card and verify the transaction. Later they sent me an email to make sure it me who booked it. Kind of a hassle, but I'm glad they have those measures in place.

[Hair Jig]

That's one good thing about using a local, hometown bank like we do. The girls there know us and are familiar with our habits. If anything comes through that looks "out of the ordinary" for us, they call immediately. We have an understanding with them ... they refuse terminal transactions from out-of-state places, and we inform them if we are going to go on vacation, etc. It is a blessing, imo.

[Jeff Hahn]

Don't hold your breath waiting for an arrest. The same thing happened to a friend of mine. They had the thief on tape at Wally World. That was 3 years ago and they still haven't caught up with him.

[Bassmeister]

I've had the same thing happen to me for 600.00 before. It was a big hassle, and I had to drain the savings for 3 weeks waiting to get it all settled.....

[fr8dog]

Yep, I got that surprise when I went to get my wife's meds a couple years ago. Got me for 600 at a CVS in Birmingham, AL. Never been to B-ham in my life. Bank helped me out.

I opened up a separate account with only a few $ in it. If they get that one, it's limited, and they won't nail my main one.

[mattmann7]

There was a woman in the line next to me at Walmart last week. Her kids gave her a swipe card for 100 bucks for Christmas. She went shopping and the card was already drained.

[bassfins]

Sorry to hear man! My sister was the victim of computer identity theft twice. Both times by fellow church go'ers. As far as using your card by thieves. Why dont cashiers ask for the card holders ID anymore? I think that simple act, used to prevent allot of this. Good luck getting it taken care of!

[cranks]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by bassfins &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote"> Sorry to hear man! My sister was the victim of computer identity theft twice. Both times by fellow church go'ers. As far as using your card by thieves. Why dont cashiers ask for the card holders ID anymore? I think that simple act, used to prevent allot of this. Good luck getting it taken care of!</td></tr></table>

A lot of it is chip so we do not even have to handle the card as a retailer. Stays 100% in the holders hand. Asking for id is pointless for that. Also a lot of "extra" family members use the card now, which doesn't help either. I have been yelled at many times when I do ask for it. There comes a point where it's not worth it.

I am also glad I am not a server anymore because of the accusations that go with them trying to steal the info. No offence. If someone wants your info, it's not that hard. Anyone can get it, not just a server.

[bassfins]

I for one, very much appreciate it when asked for ID when using my card! But it only happens at Home Depot.

[briansgi]

The new CC theft is thieves are using a small scanner and while you are waiting in line they are scanning your billfold and they pick up all your CC information. Had one of my engineers in Memphis a few weeks ago have this happened to him. The local cops said yep, big problem with that in Memphis right now and I'm sure elsewhere. He now has to wrap his billfold in aluminum foil!

[buster502]

they got mine for 3200.00 before it was caught,i live in indy and it was used at a wal mart in tenn,they think the information was stolen at the kroger by my house,(self check out) they found a small camera mounted on the top to get the pin numbers,got my money back

[NitroZ7]

It happened to me about 3 months ago with my credit card. Someone in Virginia was trying to use the card while I was in Florida. Took about 2 weeks of redoing all of my direct payments that were setup on my card.

The one thing is its a lot less trouble if this happens on a credit card vs a debit card. You have limited liability on a credit card and you don't have to wait or fight about getting money returned to an account. I use the credit card online, at gas stations and when eating out and the debit card just at the grocery and atm machine to try and reduce the risk.

[skeeterator]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by briansgi &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">The new CC theft is thieves are using a small scanner and while you are waiting in line they are scanning your billfold and they pick up all your CC information. Had one of my engineers in Memphis a few weeks ago have this happened to him. The local cops said yep, big problem with that in Memphis right now and I'm sure elsewhere. He now has to wrap his billfold in aluminum foil! </td></tr></table>

Wow,thats some scary stuff right there.

[DanCard]

I only use my card in case of emergency. I pack cash most of the time for just that reason.

[haveme1]

That's why I dont use a bank ATM card. Citibank credit card ..... not straight from my account and covered 100% against fraud. If I depute a charge it goes on hold till it's solved not outa my pocket.
<u>IF</u> you can be responsible and not dig yourself in a hole it is the way to go.

[Ranger 361V]

Thief = one of lowest forms of life that walks the earth.

[Rstrelec]

That's infuriating. The wife and I are about as "cashless" as a couple can be. We both enjoy the convenience of plastic, auto-pay, and online shopping. After having my pay-pal account hacked several years ago (linked to my bank acct) we decided to keep our checking accts in separate banks, and use a third for our savings in an attempt to hopefully avoid having us both get hit and shut down if something like that happens again. It seems we get notices a few times a year saying that some server was hacked or laptop was stolen and our personal information may have been jeopardized. They always come with a free year or two enrollment in a credit protection service paid for by the hacked company. It can be grueling sometimes but part of the risk we all have with electronic information flying around.