My checking account was cleared out...

[eyor44]

hope everything gets worked out for you and they catch who did it.

 

[01spirit750]

This is one reason that our Wells "C"argo checking account is living paycheck to paycheck. This is just for day to day expenses.

Most of our money is automatically deducted and deposit into our credit union account that has no linked cards. To get money we have to drive there and get the money in person.

This is also why I refuse to link Paypal to my checking account. This is crazy.

 

[agunders]

A good idea is to also have your bank place a limit on daily transactions. Our debit is limited to $300 charging, $100 ATM daily so even if lost/stolen the damage will be limited. Only use a credit card for non-face-to-face transactions (online, catalog, etc...). Our Paypal is linked to a seperate account that never has more than $500 in it for the same reason. Also check your accounts frequently so you can catch these scam sooner rather than later.

But contact your bank and they should take care of it. We had a similar problem about 5 year ago, but due to the limit only $300 dollars was charged when it was noted and quickly reversed.

 

[bumbershoot]

My question is where did you use it in the past week?

When our cc was comprised, I had made an online purchase for my son at EA games.

Quite a lot of the time, numbers aren't snagged online, but at restaurants, where we willingly hand our card over to a person who then disappears from view....

Or even at those restaurants where they still insist on putting the whole CC number on the printout, which we then, if we're not paying attention, leave on the table as we leave. WHO knows who might take a peek and get our name, CC number, and CC exp?????

 

[Mattsmommy]

I had my card stolen last summer. The bank put the money back into my account the next day. I had to go into the bank and fill out a special form. They used my card to buy gas and MetroCards (which are subway tickets).

 

[teddygurlkeekee]

Security and theft are so darn scary...I use that triple alert service for our credit reports and get monthly updates. As far as banking, I hope that since I use a decent large bank, THEY too are watching, but I literally am checking our accounts at least once a week.

Geez! I am checking mine EVERY DAY if not more than once a day! Granted, I work at a desk so that is just part of my morning ritual (balance the checkbook) but I have noticed that i get really antsy on long weekends or when I don't have access to a computer!!

 

[pommfrites]

Quite a lot of the time, numbers aren't snagged online, but at restaurants, where we willingly hand our card over to a person who then disappears from view....

Or even at those restaurants where they still insist on putting the whole CC number on the printout, which we then, if we're not paying attention, leave on the table as we leave. WHO knows who might take a peek and get our name, CC number, and CC exp?????

which is precisely why in Europe (at least England and France) make the server scan the card on a portable in front of you and you sign immediately, rather than someone disappearing with your card...the US should have this in place IMHO

 

[pixiewings71]

Quite a lot of the time, numbers aren't snagged online, but at restaurants, where we willingly hand our card over to a person who then disappears from view....

Or even at those restaurants where they still insist on putting the whole CC number on the printout, which we then, if we're not paying attention, leave on the table as we leave. WHO knows who might take a peek and get our name, CC number, and CC exp?????

The time our Discover card was stolen we had only used it recently at a restaurant, they never "found" out how it was stolen, but I'm pretty sure it was there. We still eat there (good sushi and the all you can value is unbeatable for DBF) but we pay cash now, we will never use another cc there!!

 

[SarahKate]

Just another one piping in to say that my Chase debit card definitely does have fraud protection. And my dad, who has a debit card w/ a different bank, has it as well......someone fraudulently used his # somehow and the bank helped him immediately.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

DH's Visa logo debit card was stolen electronically a few weeks ago and we got hit with a bunch of airline tickets purchased in the Phillippines.

Two days after we notified them, our credit union credited his account with "temporary funds pending investigation", he had to file a police report, bring the police report to the bank and they took care of it from there. My guess is that the police report allowed the bank to file an insurance claim so everyone was covered.

Good luck and I hope your issue is resolved quickly and painlessly!

 

[4Seasons]

And that's one of the reasons I use a credit card instead of a debit card. I'm sure that at the end of the day (theoretically speaking of course) that the bank will make your account "whole" and return the balance to what it should be. But, I'd much rather have fraudulent activity hit my credit account than my cash account. There's time to react on credit, where as debit takes my money right away.

Same here, I have NO debit cards and use rewards cc to pay for everything, and the bill is paid in full each month.
I completely understand this doesnt work for everyone, but the scenario the OP describes scares the daylights out of me. I just feel more secure with how we do it now.

 

[metime]

I will never use a debit. The one time I did the same thing happened as with the OP. The bank put the money back but it took a lot of my time convincing the electric company and other utilities why the checks bounced. I had to spend so much time faxing and calling and fixing my status with anyone I paid out of that account.

SO the bank put the money back, it still didn't save me much hardship.

I always use CC and we will never ever ever use a debit again.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

And people wonder why I advice NOT to use debit cards.

 

[boettj]

Whether it's a debit card or a credit card, you are covered by Regulation E. Which states you are only responsible for the first $50.

The recommendation to not use a debit card in the future is spot on. If someone steals your debit card number, it's your personal funds they have pilfered. With a credit card, they have taken money. However, it's not your available funds.

From a budget standpoint: When using credit cards, please make sure that you are not out spending your available cash.