PayPal for the win!

Sorry to hear of your theft MM.
A month or so ago my girlfriend purchased some perfume for her and a bottle of cologne for me.
The next day there were 3 charges pending with a total of just under $600.
All for Cheap Tickets (the site she got the perfume from happened to be Cheap Scents or something like that).
She called the bank and they closed the card. We went to open a new one for her and they were able to put the pending transaction ones back into her account within 3 days.

The bank also found one more that actually went through for another $100-ish. That one took 10 days to investigate and about 3 weeks to get the money back.
 
She is still leery of using her card even at restaurants, gas stations and stores like Macy's.
I told her that while credit card theft can happen pretty much anywhere, most major store's are usually pretty safe. 
I told her that my guess was with the scent company.

I opened he up a PayPal account and told her use that whenever possible. I also informed her about the HTTPS thing. MAKE SURE YOU SEE THE 'S' is now drilled into her head.
But first and foremost never buy off shady sites. Try to stay with the names you know like Staples, Target, JC Penny and so on. 
Not Bapu's house of cheap slightly used VST's.  

It sucks for you because you did shop through a reputable merchant. But that doesn't mean that all their employees are reputable. 
All it takes is one person to be tight on the cash with a busted up car and access to your card info.

Mike

I guess the police will eventually catch up with the thief.

I was talking with the bank lady who helped with my girlfriends issue.
She said unless it's a sizable amount (like $10,000 or more) the bank doesn't even bother trying to find the thief.
Insurance just covers it. Not worth the time and effort to go hunting.


Mike

chefmike8888

But first and foremost never buy off shady sites. Try to stay with the names you know like Staples, Target, JC Penny and so on. 
Not Bapu's house of cheap slightly used VST's.   

NOW you tell me!

I let my daughter use my AMEX to buy something from Ticketmaster. Next statement I had been charged for some really expensive seats to a Braves/Yankees game. I haven't been to a Braves game in well over a decade. I called AMEX and they started an investigation or whatever they do. In a few weeks I got a letter telling me that I had purchased the tickets and was responsible for the charge. I immediately called them and told them I was NOT responsible and was not going to pay a penny of the charge,was pi55ed. Whoever I talked to apologized and fixed it pertty quickly. I've had the card for years, always pay my bill on time, and never go to Braves games. I think they just tried to see if I would lay down... I didn't and they fixed it.
Initially they cancelled the card in question and sent me a new one which I got in two days, thought that was pretty good service and in the end they fixed it but it really ticked me off when they sent me a letter telling me that I bought the tickets. I wonder how many people give up at that point and just pay it. I wouldn't have paid it if it was 4.99...

I mostly use the AMEX for all online transactions. Now and then I will be forced into Paypal but I usually don't use it unless I have to. I will remember to never use my debit card... thanks for the reminder... good, helpful post!!

J

Prolly not hacked.... just stolen by an employee of the business.  Happens all the time. 

I had mine stolen at the beginning of a trip to Argentina.  I had notified them I was going to Argentina. I bought something in the Miami airport and the store clerk said their electronic reader was not working... they needed to press the card... old fashioned way.  I have no doubt my card number was lifted from that pressed receipt. 

After I returned I had a call waiting from the CC company. I went through all the purchases I made in Argentina,  with them.... among all the small purchases I made, there was a $1500+ purchase at some store in California on the list. Not my purchase. 

They issued a new card and changed the numbers, and credited my account properly to reflect the fraud. They basically said the same thing.... they don't chase the thief.... they do charge back to the store that accepted the fraudulent purchase and let them chase the thief if they wish to do so. 

I was using PP and had to link my banking info because i "exceeded my $5000 credt limit" (which I dispute, but nevertheless). I removed my bank information due to some comments and comcerns on another forum about PP issues and bank links.

Now to use PP again I have to relink my bank info and worry about that. I read comments here that guys are doing that with no problems.

I read somewhere that All our personal information has been captured  anyway and hacked and is sitting over on  East Europe hard drives waiting to be exploited.

jbow


...In a few weeks I got a letter telling me that I had purchased the tickets and was responsible for the charge. I immediately called them and told them I was NOT responsible and was not going to pay a penny of the charge,was pi55ed. Whoever I talked to apologized and fixed it pertty quickly. I've had the card for years, always pay my bill on time, and never go to Braves games. I think they just tried to see if I would lay down... I didn't and they fixed it.

We've had similar experiences...my wife had her handbag stolen a few years back and the thief managed to withdraw several hundred pounds in cash at an ATM about 30 miles away using her Barclaycard.

We got a letter from Barclaycard basically accusing my wife of colluding with someone and giving them her PIN. She didn't take too kindly to that, and they backed down eventually and refunded the money. We still can't figure out how he did that, because my wife didn't know the PIN herself, she only used the card online.

Oh yeah..the guy was filmed on CCTV using my wife's card at the ATM...police never even followed it up.

I read somewhere that All our personal information has been captured anyway and hacked and is sitting over on East Europe hard drives waiting to be exploited.

 
Well OK, but it wont do them a lot of good. I do my best to spend my money or keep paying off the house... I am beginning to wonder about the wisdo of that. My luck, I will pay off the house then the govt. will forgive all mortgages.
 
Everything seems to be changing except me.
 
J

craigb


The $1 test might not work with my checking balance...

Yup, same here...

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, musicman. :( I hope it gets sorted and doesn't cost you anything.

It's amazing how this stuff happens. The hackers entice people that are in need of cash and it's usually quick and painless. I used to own a swimming pool supply store. We sold pools, chemicals, floats, parts, filters...you get the idea. We had all sorts of people come in and try to sell us things off the street. Some things, you just couldn't say no to...others, were alarming.

I had one guy come in and whisper to one of my girls at the counter "I'll give you $100 cash for every credit card number you can supply me with" and he pulled out a wad of cash. She smiled and said "deal...let me go in the back and get all the accounts I can find as we don't keep any of that information up here." She went into the back (we had another girl working the counter too, so he wasn't left alone) and he must have seen the phone light up. She called the police but he was gone by the time she came back. She gave a description but we don't know if he was ever caught.

This is how these people operate....and if someone is hurting enough, it's too easy to supply the information and take the money. I don't use any CC's or my debit card for online purchases....paypal for me until that God forbid fails...then I'm done with internet purchases for life.

-Danny