Credit Card Security Question

[Disney Ella]

It seems like all the newspapers and TV stations are doing stories about avoiding credit card fraud this Christmas. It seems to me that it would help if the credit card companies required all stores and restaurants to have those machines that you use to swipe the card yourself and then must put in a pin number (just like the ATM card.) It wouldn't help if someone used your number over the phone or on the Internet, but it would certainly help cut down on the amount of fraud. It seems like such an easy solution that I'm sure there must be some reason why they don't do it. Does anybody in finance or banking know why they don't do this?

 

[buzzlady]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I just had my cc# stolen last week. After the 4th fraudulent charge the cc company contacted me. I just wish I knew who or where the # was taken from. Luckily we have another cc because the account had to be closed immediately and I'm without a cc. They are supposed to be sending me a new card/number but it takes time and with all the shopping still to be done I would have been lost without another card. Just makes me angry that my husband his busting his butt working and some scum is having a good time shopping for free.

 

[Octoberbride03]

A pin number is fine. But i think if more stores simply carded ppl for ID when they and over the card, we'd see a lot of fraud die down. I used to get carded all the time here in VA when I ysed mine to purchase something. Now I'm married and DH keeps the card(which is fine with me). I've not seen him get carded yet. I know some fraud happens over the internet, but by and large ppl still walk into the stores for a face to face scam.


Maureen
(Where oh where has my Cinderella Castl gone )

 

[Disney Ella]

buzz lady, I am sorry to hear about your situation with your credit card. It just seems like it's getting easier and easier for people to steal numbers, and with computer technology, it probably is.

Octoberbride 03, I never really thought about asking for ID. That certainly would help. It's been several years since I've been asked for ID. About six or seven years ago, my sister was hiking and left her purse locked in her car (not wise, I know) and her wallet was stolen. The clerk at Sears caught the woman who stole the card because she asked for ID. I wonder why stores stopped doing this?

 

[Meriweather]

Our cc# was taken last week too.....from an internet purchase.
We were contacted by one of the internet companies to check on the purchase (thank you).....and immediately canceled our card (Disney ).

Seems it would be easy to track an internet purchase. It has to GO somewhere Hope they get the person.

Tis the season to beware.....well, to be reminded to be extra careful.

 

[CdnDisneyNut]

Not all credit cards have PIN numbers. My Amex card does not have a PIN.
Mot time the credit card is back in the wallet before the sale has been processing (checking for credit limits and aothorization)
The sales clerk also very seldom verify the signature on the card with that on the sales slip. Checking signatures would stop some of the fraud on stolen cards.
Credit card company also check radomly to verify if charges on your account are legit if the spending pattern changes drastially

 

[stitch'sohana]

This just happened to me to also. It was more along the lines of identity theft. Someone stole my information and opened up a credit card. I got a call from mastercard sayinmg I was 90 days past due. I dont even have a mastercard!!! The operator asked if my address was PO Box ..... and I said I dont have a PO Box either!!! She got rude and said well either way its 90 days past due!! Like I was really going to pay!

I put a credit alert on my name and I suggest this to everyone. I think anyone can do it not just victims of theft/ identity fraud. With this no account can be opened or credit check preformed without them calling me first and verifying it was me.

Buzzlady, I feel the same way! I hate people who have no care for what they are doing to people because they are too lazy to get a real job like the rest of us.

 

[buzzlady]

Originally posted by Meriweather
Our cc# was taken last week too.....from an internet purchase.
We were contacted by one of the internet companies to check on the purchase (thank you).....and immediately canceled our card (Disney ).
Tis the season to beware.....well, to be reminded to be extra careful.

It was my Disney card also! I think that I figured out where it happened. I saw a show on Court TV this evening about cc fraud and identity theft. They said that if you give your card to someone and they scan it twice, stop them immediately and ask to speak to a manager. What they do is have a device (they showed a lap top computer) connected and when they scan the card it goes into the computer and saves your information. Seems that when we went away for the weekend, that the hotel clerk scanned the card once and then mumbled something about it not working and scaned it again. I felt a little uneasy to begin with because I had reserved the room online through the hotels direct site and had to pay in full w/my credit card. I asked about it already being paid for and he gave me some line about it not being paid. When I got home I went online to check to make sure that it wasn't charged twice - and it wasn't - but little did I know that 3 days later the fraud charges would start. I too hope they catch "whoever" it was because obviously (in my case)the information was sold.

 

[LadyAurora]

I have some information for you on why clerks don't check IDs...because customers don't like it.
I am a cashier, and at my store cashiers are required to match signatures. Now, this doesn't mean that 100% of us do it 100% of the time, but I think it is pretty close. You would not believe the complaints we get. We ask for ID if the card is not signed, if the sigs. don't match, or if "check ID" is written on the back. You would think that we asked for a firstborn child sometimes. Some people carry only a credit card, nothing else. Some people don't carry a state-issued ID, for whatever reason. Some people are too much in a hurry to show ID. Once a guy accused me of being racist, because I told him I needed to verify his signature. Some people give their credit card to their spouse/child/sibling/fiance, whatever, and expect us to allow them to purchase. How are we supposed to know that this person is really who they say?
The first step in avoiding fraud is to take responsibility for yourself...sign the back of your card and write "CHECK ID" in dark letters. This obviously won't stop all kinds of fraud...and won't help for online purchases or gas stations...but it's a start. Don't give your card to others...get them their own card! When you sign your name for purchases, sign it like you did on your card. Don't be in a hurry and just write your initials or a squiggle. If none of your signatures look the same, it will be hard to prove the ones that really aren't yours!
And about the "swiping" the card twice...sometimes we really do need to do that...without a hidden laptop to steal numbers. Sometimes registers don't connect on the first try. I'm not sure how you can avoid that, or tell if a criminal is ringing you up.
Sorry for the long rant/response...I just got home from work...long night!