Visa caught fraudulent activity on debit card

[antmaril]

This happened to me recently. Someone made a $773 purchase at a local Target store using my bank Visa debit card. I didn't lose my card, so the criminal must have made a card somehow. I have no idea how this happens. The thing I can't understand is why Target doesn't have a policy in place to ask for ID when the person is making a large purchase. Let's face it -- $700 at Target is not the norm. Ask for ID.

 

[MrsPete]

MrsPete, you're right. Visa told us restaurants are a source, but the large numbers are found in the "attachments" thieves attach to the credit card machines at gas stations and ATM's. They can put on a "reader" and leave it there for just a couple hours, then voila! They instantly have hundreds of card #'s. She said they take the numbers home, they make new cards with them, and put on different names, then sell them in other countries many times for $20.

Yeah, I've heard of that - I even saw a warning-segment on the local news. I wish I could see one in person so I'd know exactly what I'm supposed to be looking for.

Last night when I was googling what steps I should take next, there were sites, (I swear!) that listed stolen credit cards for sale for $3.50.

$3.50 -- I had no idea our peace of mind was so cheap, or that thieves sold cards over the internet. Why can't the bank fraud people catch them?

All major credit cards have fraud protection systems. Before you give them too much credit for protecting you understand that they are doing so for their own benefit. Consumer protection laws put the liability on banks for fradulent charges. Consumers are never held responsible as long as the fradulent activity is reported in a timely manner. The banks end up eating the charges.

Oh, I'm not foolish enough to think that the bank provides this protection out of the goodness of their hearts, but I am grateful that they're getting better at catching fraud. Though they aren't actually doing it FOR ME, it certainly is a benefit TO ME.

This happened to me recently. Someone made a $773 purchase at a local Target store using my bank Visa debit card. I didn't lose my card, so the criminal must have made a card somehow. I have no idea how this happens. The thing I can't understand is why Target doesn't have a policy in place to ask for ID when the person is making a large purchase. Let's face it -- $700 at Target is not the norm. Ask for ID.

At a glance, I'd bet the cashier was an accomplice.

 

[bumbershoot]

If only these criminals would use their powers for good and not evil....

So true.

Today Chase let someone withdraw $4,500 in cash, in person from a teller, from one of their branches halfway across the country from us. When I called they said they couldn't do anything until the transaction settled on my account. Um, hello, I thought they would want to prevent any further fraudulent activity on my account. Had to go into a branch. The Chase rep was helpful & nice. But it even took him 3 calls to get anywhere with my account. The fraud dept. told him they had to wait until the activity fully posted. Finally, he just closed my account himself. I think it's bad they not only let someone cash a phony check in person at their branch, but then wouldn't try to stem their losses. :

You guys thwarted the Fraud department's procedures. I can't say I know why they have those procedures, but I would trust what the Fraud people are saying and doing more than random-guy-at-bank.

IMHO the problem is the banks do not try to go after these people.

But how do you KNOW this?

I know that at a large online retailer I know and love, while the normal CS reps and the customers never know "the rest of the story", there is a large and hard-working Fraud department that goes after people *seriously*, but since ti's not the customer taking the loss, it's not the customer's business. They will NOT give info to the customer.

Since it's the bank losing the money, the Fraud dept at the bank might be doing all sorts of things that the customer will never know about.

The thing I can't understand is why Target doesn't have a policy in place to ask for ID when the person is making a large purchase. Let's face it -- $700 at Target is not the norm. Ask for ID.

I don't know about now, but I know just a couple years ago it was in direct violation of Visa's policy to require or even request a photo ID. A merchant could have their contract with Visa yanked if they did that.




I find Chase to be very good about catching things. One time it was us (DH swiped the card at the gas station, then realized he was on the wrong side of the rental's gas tank and too far away to pull the hose over, then did the longest turnaround in history, and by the time he got parked correctly the authorization had timed out...swiped it again and was declined (by Fraud) and we had to use a different card), but other than that they've been right. We've never told them when we are traveling but they seem to know when it's us and when it isn't!



As for where they got the info...who knows? My brother had *just* received his new CCs in the mail, the envelopes were pristine and perfect and exactly on time, and the CC was used across the country before he'd even opened them.

 

[Heluvsme]

Asking for ID may not even help---get this.... the woman at the bank told my husband that when CC#'s are taken, the thief (if they're just low-man on the pole) will sell the numbers in "lots." Those lots are sold to a higher up thief who has the plastic credit card "blanks." He uses the CC#'s he just bought, let's say from a waiter at a restaurant who has been collecting numbers for a month or so, he uses his equipment to make fake credit cards on the plastic credit card blanks. If they're used online or over the phone, an actual credit card isn't necessary, just the number.

 

[njmom47]

.

 

[CC12005]

So true.



You guys thwarted the Fraud department's procedures. I can't say I know why they have those procedures, but I would trust what the Fraud people are saying and doing more than random-guy-at-bank.


I would trust that the bank would close my account and not leave me exposed to anymore losses. If it is the Fraud department's procedure to make me the victim again, it's a wrong procedure. I am the one out of the money in the interim. They are telling me to just bounce checks all over the place while they investigate. I will not do this. I have a mortgage payment due & other bills to pay, I would like my stolen money returned & what's left in that account to be safeguarded.

 

[ashmarie06]

Chase caught a fraudulent charge on my Disney Visa a couple weeks ago. They called me on a Sunday and said someone tried to charge a bunch of stuff at an Apple store in CT. They declined the charge. They canceled my card after giving them my permission and FedExed me new cards immediately. I had them in hand by Tuesday. They handled everything perfectly. Not sure where the theft took place, but two of DH's coworkers also got calls that week. One with Chase and one with a different bank, so we are guessing that it's possible it was done at a restaurant they eat lunch at. It is impossible to know which one though, so I guess there is nothing we can do. Glad Chase was on top of things. Couldn't be happier with them.

I wish I was that lucky with Chase! A year ago, I had just moved in to my first house, so I had spent a considerable amount of money. I checked my bank account before going to the grocery store and I was negative 150.00. Someone by the name of Ashley "jones" had the same name as me, went to chase to take out 1000.00 and they took it out of my account. Instead of hers I called chase, and they wouldn't take fault. They insisted it was me, and that I must have been 500 miles away from my house. I had to fax them a timesheet from my work saying that I was clocked in at the time of the withdrawl. Crazy! IT still took them 48 hours to get my money back in my account. I continued banking with them, because that ws teh first incident, but they took absolutely no blame for their mistake.

However, my credit card with them has been perfect!

 

[manning]

Alas Chase caught 15 minutes after I used my card. Like a dummy I put in the wrong month for expiration date.

 

[eyor44]

A couple months ago Chase called about my Disney Visa. Someone tried to use it on-line where I had never purchased before. To small purchases back to back, but I'm thinking they didn't have the verification code. Chase closed the account and had me a new card in two days. I was very pleased with how it was handled. I also liked that I could look at my account online while talking to the agent and was able to tell them what was mine and what wasn't.

 

[Pesky]

Yeah, I only use credit cards if at a gas station or restaurant, so I would only be out fake money, not my actual dollars, and don't have to pay it until the matter is resolved. Basically smaller the shop, odds of fraud can go up. Card disappears from your sight like in a restaurant? Odds go up. You would be amazed at the sophistication of skimmers to that criminals place at gas stations and even large grocery stores at seldom monitored stations -- they look exactly like the regular terminal and pop right over the existing one, just stealing your info. Makes me want to use cash for everything!

 

[NotUrsula]

Yeah, I only use credit cards if at a gas station or restaurant, so I would only be out fake money, not my actual dollars, and don't have to pay it until the matter is resolved. Basically smaller the shop, odds of fraud can go up. Card disappears from your sight like in a restaurant? Odds go up. You would be amazed at the sophistication of skimmers to that criminals place at gas stations and even large grocery stores at seldom monitored stations -- they look exactly like the regular terminal and pop right over the existing one, just stealing your info. Makes me want to use cash for everything!

You are fairly safe if you only use your debit card for transactions where you slide it yourself -- with the exception of gas stations. Never use a debit card at a gas pump, because they are the most frequently targeted locations for skimmers. (Skimmers can turn up in other locations -- several were found about a year ago INSIDE a bank lobby in Manhattan, on the ATM's that were located there. Now that was a ballsy thief.)

At gas pumps, or in any situation where the card must leave your hand, stick to a CC, not a debit.

Also, FWIW, if you live in an area where meth addiction is rampant, you should be extra-vigilant about this. Dumpster diving is one of the major ways that addicts get their drugs; they trade numbers that they dig out of trash cans to their local dealers, who then re-sell the numbers to fraud rings. Always shred ANY paperwork that has a CC on it.

 

[manning]

What does a skimmer look like? Would like to spot one before I get nailed by one.

 

[NotUrsula]

They look just like the regular scanner, except that somehow they are almost always just a bit "off". For one thing, they very often have a block-shaped protrusion sticking out of the machine about 6-8 inches up from the card slide; that contains a camera pointed at the keypad to capture your pin. Often they look newer than the rest of the machine, or appear to be attached a lit bit crookedly (which happens because they are put on with foam tape over the real one, and if the thief is in a hurry might not have time to get it precisely straight)

Mostly you can find them by touch; they can be moved a bit in a way they should not, because they are not firmly attached. Also look for a broken tape seal on the pump mechanical access door; a skimmer that is attached inside the pump will require breaking the seal and forcing the lock.

 

[hambirg]

What does a skimmer look like? Would like to spot one before I get nailed by one.

This is a pretty good article with some pics. Be sure to check out all the pages (10).

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/33210?page=0,0