Just yesterday, our bank card (ATM) checking account was compromised. We hadn't used our cards at all yesterday, but when we looked online, it showed 3 items being "in process" (Chili's restaurant for $135, some Game store for $20, and a mini mart for $1) and all in Florida, but a different city than the one we live in. Fortunately, we always keep a low balance in that account and they're not able to get anymore from there.
 
Of course, we called our bank and had them take a look at it........they said they can't do anything until the "payment is processed" and then will do an investigation. They also will refund our money. It's just unsettling to know that some "punk" out there is abusing our card info (probably got it from a fast food restaurant or some other place where I purchased with my ATM). I'm not surprised that this has happened to us as this type of thing is like a "hobby" for these punks, but just annoyed that it happened.

It's a good thing you discovered it early.  Good luck with it.  

we've had this kind of thing happen several times, actually, but the bank has always caught it before we do and we didn't have to do anything except set up a new PIN with a new card.  inconvenient cause we had to wait a few days for our new card while the old one was deactivated.  but at least no charges were ever even finalized on our card.

Yeah Beags, that's kind of what's going to happen (setting up PIN/new card etc...) except, the bank said that they have to wait until "payment processes" before doing anythng.
 
I suppose in cases like this, the banks are the ones to have to eat that money?

I'm not sure, I think they have some type of insurance. 

I'm sorry that happened, Mesh. I hope they catch whoever did it and string them up by their curly hairs.

Leadfoot
I'm sorry that happened, Mesh. I hope they catch whoever did it and string them up by their curly hairs.

Or leave them with me for ten minuets.
 
Sorry to hear Mesh hope it gets sorted.

Yeah, I'd like to have them spend some "quality time" with Wooks!!
 
It's not much of big deal as I'm not a rich guy and there's only so much they can really get, but I do wish there was some sort way to stop them or even a better "checks/balances" system that these businesses can use. In my case, they didn't even have the card, but were able ot eat at Chili's.....  

Ya, happened to me for $1.17 in New York, about 1000 miles away. They have new cards in Europe they use where that can not happen anymore, oh, but it would cost too much to implement it here.
 
Let me turn up a loud amp and blast them!
 

Yeah... a real pain and a growing problem.
 
First time I went to Argentina, I contacted the CC company to inform them I was traveling and not to shut down purchases in Argentina. So when I got back to the US I had a call on my answering machine to contact CC services ASAP. As I was going through MIA leaving the country, I bought a book in the airport book store. The cashier told me her card swipe was down and she needed to process it the old fashioned way.... roll the card and leave the receipt with the number..... Seems that someone in the store swiped the receipts and my number was used in California to buy $1500+ worth of electronics. I went through the charges on the card since I left till I returned and the CC company ate the charges I didn't make and issued a new card. 
 
My wife recently got a new card due to the TARGET scandal.
 
It always pays to check your bill....item by item. If you get a fraudulent charge and pay it.... then they hit you again for a larger fraudulent charge, it's hard to dispute the second one since you paid the first one.
 
The new cards coming out now are proximity cards and can be read by the sniffers when they are simply close and the cards are still in your wallet in your pocket.  Companies are selling RF screening inserts and wallets to prevent that.