Credit/Debit Fraud - Check your statements

[Maksim 1,504]

So here I am reading... get a phone call from Bank of America. They ask me to verify a transaction for $250 at a Target, in Falls Church, VA today. I guess they found it a bit suspicious that I bought coffee this morning at a Dunkin in NJ, and 2 hours later I am in VA shopping at Target.

 

In any case, watch your statements, tons of credit card spoofing and scamming out there nowadays. If you can, always use your credit card (and obviously pay off in full), especially when buying online. And avoid using your debit card as debit. Recent scams have been getting pin numbers. With a credit card, alot easier to dispute than when a debit charge to your bank. Bank of America is good, but other banks may give you the runaround, like Capital One... makes you go to the branch to sign a statement, and you have to wait to get money credited back to your account.

[vladtepes 1,060]

+1

 

I have a ridiculous ritual where I check ALL of my accounts on a pretty much daily basis (baring some ridiculous nonsense) so I am super careful.. but appreciate the heads up! with computers the way they are.. and the ease of viewing things online.. I find it kind of surprising that others don't check frequently.. being in the financial world.. I am sure you can echo this.. but the sooner you spot a problem... the faster you will get it resolved.. can't say how many times I have run someone's credit and they tell me "I have no idea where that charge off from 3 years ago came from.. I never had an account with so and so.." but it is frequent enough to be surprising that people are so out of touch with their finances..

[67gtonut 847]

+1

 

I check 2x a day..... once in the morning, and also every evening....

[SJ Shooter 10]

B of A just sent us a new check card on Tues (thought it was a new one to replace expiring one so it sat in the pile) NOT ...then yesterday it didnt work so we called.. they said it was compromised by a third party..no call no nothing..just a new card in the with a letter your old one will be cut off in 5 days....seems kinda strange..

[SoCalTrojanSoldier 10]

I would be careful of scams that call your house, tell you a story, and then ask you to confirm the credit card number. I just tell them thank you and then call the number on the back of the card to find out if my card had any fraudulent transactions.

 

The scammers are phishing by phone now. Also yesterday I received and official looking letter from an attorney that asked me to front him and his client, with the same surname as me, so that they could collect on $17M locked up in a bank account somewhere. They promised me half. I saved it for the postmaster for mail fraud maybe.

[crackaloon 15]

ING makes me very happy by sending me an e-mail within moments of every transaction (which I get on my phone).

[vjf915 456]

get a phone call from Bank of America.

I actually work at Bank of America. There is A LOT of fraud going on lately, it's ridiculous. One of the better suggestions going around is to pay for gas with cash. It seems that the new scam right now is people are sneaking one of those readers onto the machines, and taking a lot of card numbers that way. If you can, pay with cash when you buy gas.

 

There's a lot of scamming going on too, so PLEASE be careful. I'm sure a lot of you know this, but if it has anything to do with the person not meeting you face to face, combined with ANY kind of abnormal transaction, it's most likely a scam. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. Not selling an item is a hell of a lot better than giving it away.

[Maksim 1,504]

how about getting a gas credit card from the company?

[BRaptor 68]

I actually work at Bank of America. There is A LOT of fraud going on lately, it's ridiculous. One of the better suggestions going around is to pay for gas with cash. It seems that the new scam right now is people are sneaking one of those readers onto the machines, and taking a lot of card numbers that way. If you can, pay with cash when you buy gas.

 

There's a lot of scamming going on too, so PLEASE be careful. I'm sure a lot of you know this, but if it has anything to do with the person not meeting you face to face, combined with ANY kind of abnormal transaction, it's most likely a scam. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. Not selling an item is a hell of a lot better than giving it away.

 

I COMPLETELY AGREE!!!!!

 

If that little voice even says "wait a second...." Then you need to say NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! Your instincts are your best friend, and your first line of defense. You can literally smell/feel when someone is scamming you. Whether you know it our not (even over the phone!). That "little voice" in your head is your pheromones smelling/detecting the dishonesty from the other person. If that little voice gives you ANY type of pause, then you need to say

NO!!!!!!! Don't give any information, and start asking questions. If they say you are behind on your paymnent, tell them you need to check on their website. Thank them for their notitifaction, and go to the provider's website.

[crackaloon 15]

It's been many years since I've worked in a gas station or as a cashier, but I don't trust anyone with my card. Before I got ING for a bank I noticed a gas attendant swipe my card, then carry my card in his shack. When I pulled away I immediately called the credit company and they told me there were two identical purchases. I called the police and did a report right then, the attendant claimed the pump didn't work so he had to run it inside. The next day the manager told me they had a lot of bad credit card purchases and the attendant was just doing a pre-auth to make sure the card was good. My credit company said they get many pre-auths for $1, but not full purchase price. I ended up with only one charge. It all seemed fishy at the time, but I guess it could have been their procedure.

[Malsua 1,422]

I got some calls 6 months ago purportedly from my bank. It was an automated machine. "Hello, this is an automated message from [my actual bank]. Your debit account is currently on security hold due to suspected fraudulent activity. This affects your card that starts with 1234(they gave me the actual number on my card). Press one to connect to our security center. Press 1 to connect to the [my actual bank] fraud center."

 

Now, before I continue, I have to say that I know it's fraud for several reasons. First, my bank doesn't have my cell number. Second, because I used to program credit cards for a debit system at Kent State University, I'm familiar with the structure of CC numbers. the first 4 digits of credit cards are common to all the cards a particular bank may issue. I believe the first 6 are always common to a bank but there are some caveats.

 

Anyway, so I went ahead and pressed 1. "Please enter the card in question followed by the pound sign". Ok, I'll bite. 1234 5678 8765 4321 "Thank you", Now enter the CCV number located on the back of the card." Alrighty then "911". Please enter your social security number, followed by the pound sign" Sure: 999-55-999. "Please state your name followed by the pound sign" Donald Duck". "Please hold for the next available representative" about 30 seconds later *click*.

 

I got this call 3 times, one of the calls the number wasn't blocked. I initially contacted my bank, then once I had the phone number I contacted the NJ attorney general and the feds. I got letters about 2 months later, both directing me to someone else. Complete waste of time.

[Wolfy 51]

I will never give my CC to a gas attendant. I used to work in a convenience store with a gas station attached and in my short time there my manager had 3 gas jockey's arrested. The store manager said it's easy to catch but almost no one bothers looking. He would run a report showing duplicate CC activity on the same day. That simple. It happens alot. The most common scam is the gas jockey gets your CC# and as people pull up and pay cash he would run the CC and pocket the cash.

 

Maks a gas card helps because it makes it easier to track.

[bad64chevelle 0]

Bank of America was really good. They froze my card and account when a fraudulent charge went on. They e-mailed me saying to call them, I did and sure enough someone was trying to run my card in Kansas for over 2k. They did a small charge to test it for like $5 then the rest when they saw that worked. Needless to say I was refunded my money and I had to get a whole new card.

[vjf915 456]

how about getting a gas credit card from the company?

It may work, although I'm really not sure about the terms of those cards.

 

One recommendation I really have for Bank of America customers....we have a program with online banking where you can (in real time) adjust the maximum price of purchase that a certain card can handle. A smart thing to do is to take a card you use for everyday purchases (lunch, coffee, small things) and set it to $15. This means that ANY purchases attempted to be made for more than $15 will be declined. If you NEED to make a larger purchase, you can access your account using a computer, or even a phone, change the limit, make the purchase, change the limit back to $15. It's a great program, and with the fraud out there right now.....it's foolish NOT to look into it.

[bbk 188]

When an account attached to my BOA accounts was compromised, BOA jumped on it quickly and had me credited within hours of the incident. Their investigation was also pretty darn quick, and the whole mess was cleared within a few weeks.

I'm the same way though, I take my security and banking information quite seriously... definitely bordering on anal regarding that.

[vjf915 456]

I should really check my accounts more often....

[Dan 177]

I've been telling people for years not to use their "check cards" aks "debit cards" for purchases. Lots of them scoff at me and say how they are protected. A few of these people I know got burned, and now they only use their cards for ATM withdraws. Its just a hassle when it is your money that is being taken, as opposed to a CC in which it is the bank's money.

 

I'm amazed that the banks haven't gotten together and really put some effort into introducing SOME kind of security into the debit/credit card system. It is a complete joke nowadays. In the UK they have been using the "chip and pin" system for awhile now very successfully. When it comes down to it, the CC processors don't want to spend the $$ in revamping the whole system. Apparently it is cheaper for them to take fraud losses than do it.

[vjf915 456]

Dan....can you explain how using your debit card as a debit card can lead to fraud? I'm all ears, and curious to know. Logic tells one that it's safer because it requires PIN verifications.....but logic is not always the best answer.

[Malsua 1,422]

Dan....can you explain how using your debit card as a debit card can lead to fraud? I'm all ears, and curious to know. Logic tells one that it's safer because it requires PIN verifications.....but logic is not always the best answer.

 

Not speaking for Dan, but I don't believe he said it leads to any more fraud than credit cards. What it does however do is to expose your bank account to the thieves. If a thief steals your credit card, the bank has a vested interest in stopping it right away. It's their money at risk since you, the card holder is limited to a $50 liability. If it's your debit card, the banks aren't nearly as motivated. If they get your money back or not whenever, whatever, it's no skin off their bottom line. It can take weeks or months before everything is settled.

 

In general, I only use my debit card at places I trust. My grocery, my regular gas station where it never leaves the pump and the local general store. Never online.

 

I'm probably going to stop using it at the grocery store because I'm getting an ATM withdraw fee the past few times. I'm not taking cash, but they're treating it as if I am and getting an extra buck. It pisses me off.

[vjf915 456]

Not speaking for Dan, but I don't believe he said it leads to any more fraud than credit cards. What it does however do is to expose your bank account to the thieves. If a thief steals your credit card, the bank has a vested interest in stopping it right away. It's their money at risk since you, the card holder is limited to a $50 liability. If it's your debit card, the banks aren't nearly as motivated. If they get your money back or not whenever, whatever, it's no skin off their bottom line. It can take weeks or months before everything is settled.

Very good point. I'll keep that in mind. Only issue is I HATE credit card debt....

[Dan 177]

Exactly, doesn't lead to more fraud, just the impact if fraud does indeed occur. I'd rather it be on a credit card than a debit card. Plus, debit cards these days are "check cards", meaning they can be used like any other visa/mastercard for purchases without the pin. Swipe and buy. The pin is only used when getting cash. This is why some stores ask if you are using it as debit or credit, b/c then they would need to have you punch your pin in the pad.

 

If a bad guy got your check card's number/expiry/auth code ,even without the pin, they can start charging it up with purchases with funds coming right out of your bank account.

[Cylinder Head 22]

I've had my CC# stolen at a gas station. I know exactly where it was too, right on my way to the Bullet Hole. First time I had ever been there, and a few days later I had a $500 charge from KRAZNOYARSK, SIBERIA.

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Very good point. I'll keep that in mind. Only issue is I HATE credit card debt....

 

I hate it too, but I still use my cards a lot. Just be sure to pay it off every month, so you don't carry a balance.

 

Interesting to read that a few people have had their cards hacked at gas stations. I had the same thing happen a year or so ago. Got a call from my CC bank about apparently fraudulent charges on my account. They were right on top of it, deleted the charges, and opened a new account for me (which was a mild annoyance).

 

Be especially careful because I've heard that sophisticated hackers can get a photo of your weiner without your knowing about it, and send it out to a bunch of people to totally humiliate you.

[vjf915 456]

I hate it too, but I still use my cards a lot. Just be sure to pay it off every month, so you don't carry a balance.

If I do switch, this is exactly what I'll have to do. I will just have to make sure that I don't use BOTH my CC and DC, because I really can't afford that. I might switch, which also may help me not spend as much since I would know it's going to carry interest.

[Nick S 2]

I had a strange phone call today that sort of relates to all of this. I should start out by saying that I have 2 phone lines in my house. 1 is the main house line and the other is a business line that only I answer. Two days ago I got a call on my business line that was a recording telling me that time was running out for me to get a lower interest rate on my credit cards. Now, I found this funny because I only carry a debit/credit/ check card and it's from a particular bank. I wanted to get my name/number off this call list so since there was no option to get my number removed I hit the key to inquire about the "offer". A real person came on the line with a Middle Eastern accent ( just stating a fact not accusing anyone of anything). So when the guy asks if I am interested in lowering my credit card rates I play along and say that I have a couple of questions first....I ask how he got my telephone number (the telephone lines are not in my name for the house I live in). He said he got it from my bank who wants me to have this "great" offer. Now keep in mind he's never used my name once so I had a red flag. Then I asked him which credit card he was calling about and he said my bank visa. ( again I have no credit cards) I asked him what company he was calling from and he said he didn't have to tell me that at all.(wrong) I then asked him to please give me the companies mailing address as I wanted to file a complaint with them and ask to be taken off their calling list in writing as required by law. He said he didn't have to give me the information (wrong again). I asked him if he could provide me with the credit card account number he was talking about and he said he didn't have to share that information with me. I told him then that I didn't have any credit cards and so I have no idea what credit card accounts he was referring. He told me he was going to charge my credit card $700 for wasting his time as a penalty.( Ummm dumb a** you don't have my credit card number so how are you going to charge me?)

 

Be careful out there folks. I have another family friend who had her identity stolen and someone filed a tax return using her information. When she went to file her actual tax return it would not go through. She's currently having the matter investigated by the FBI and IRS. She now has to wait until they investigate and she proves her identity so that she can get the refund she's entitled to.

 

I too had my identity stolen a while back and someone used a credit card I had and charged $5000 worth of stereo equipment to it. It was my bank ATM card and luckily my bank ( not Bank of America) was really good and got the investigation and charges dropped. I got my money back within a week.

 

People are desperate these days and will do anything for money.