Fraud Alert

[dperry]

I just found out that somebody used my Visa bank card to make an online purchase. It was at a place called Cabela's sporting goods. The guys first made a $100 purchase for a gift card, and that went through. They then tried to make another purchase for a $1000 gift card, and then again for an $800 gift card. Those did not go through, and the company flagged the purchases. The bank also blocked the purchases, so nothing actually got debited to my account. I was very lucky.

But, this is concerning me, because the only place I use my card is on vending purchases. I don't make purchases often, and haven't made many over the past month. I've only purchased at Sam's Club and A&A Global. The thing is that Cabela's had my home address information, so they got more than just my CC number. When I asked the bank about it, they said that the merchant can get the address from them if they ask, so maybe that's how they got it, but who knows.

I talked to my wife about it, and she's concerned that my account information may have gotten compromised from one of these online locations. I've only really been doing any over-the-phone or online business with A&A, and only for this one CC.

I just want to put it out there that if anybody else has this happen to them, then maybe we can track down where the source came from.

And to watch out for yourselves.

[Jax Snacks]

Good to hear they caught the fraud in time. Sounds like the thief got a bit greedy. Maybe if he had went for $200 to $300 it may have gone through.

Is the card a credit card or a debit card (tied to a bank account) that looks like a credit card? The laws are not the same for debit cards and are not necessarily in the consumers favor (according to Clark Howard and other news articles). I no longer have any debit cards, but still have an ATM card that requires a pin number. Those debit cards can be scary. Fraud on a debit card can clean out your bank account. Now the bank will usually correct the problem if fraud occurs, but it could take weeks to get your account replenished. In the mean time, you are out of that cash and any automatic debits (mortages, car payments, utilities) still need to be covered.

The laws on a credit card are more consumer fiendly. You have 60 days to dispute any credit card transaction and of course no money has been taken from your bank account while the investigation occurs. For example, Paypal has a debit card, but read the fine print on fraud! You must report the fraud with in 3 days, otherwise you are S.O.L. and your money is gone! That sucks! Things happen in life and you may be tied up for 3 or more days due to a family emergency or weather disaster or illness. But again, those debit card laws favor the corporations and not the consumer.

My own bank tried to force a debit card on me. They no longer provide "stand alone" ATM cards. I was furious. But they told me to simply not activate the credit card feature and it would still funtion as an ATM (with PIN) card. Of course each one of us is free to choose what ever type of cards to use or not use, but it's best to review the fraud policies before obtaining a debit card.

[The Mage]

Actually the first amount is often a test, to see if the card works or not. Then the person was attempting to empty the card until it was caught.

There are multiple ways for a criminal to get credit card numbers, unfortunately. It can happen as a result of a bank, a retailer, internet interception, postal service, or even dumpster diving.

If somebody is using the card, assume it has been compromised so request a new one with a new number.

I know a person who has a real high limit card, and large bank account. The guy didn't carry a balance on his card, and had it set up to automatically pay off the card each month if he had a balance. Well somebody got his card number, maxed it out, the automatic payment paid it off before he noticed, and the person maxed it out again. Hit him for almost $90K.

[dperry]

I heard a thing on the radio that some CC companies are now offering one-merchant account numbers. These numbers are attached to your main number, and can be used for only one merchant. So if any one merchant gets hacked, then that number is worthless to anybody because it will only work for that one merchant. This may only be true for credit cards, and not debit cards, so ymmv. I asked my bank about it today, and they said they didn't offer anything like that. But it's worth asking your cc company to see if they offer it.

[mission vending]

I just found out that somebody used my Visa bank card to make an online purchase. It was at a place called Cabela's sporting goods. The guys first made a $100 purchase for a gift card, and that went through. They then tried to make another purchase for a $1000 gift card, and then again for an $800 gift card. Those did not go through, and the company flagged the purchases. The bank also blocked the purchases, so nothing actually got debited to my account. I was very lucky.

But, this is concerning me, because the only place I use my card is on vending purchases. I don't make purchases often, and haven't made many over the past month. I've only purchased at Sam's Club and A&A Global. The thing is that Cabela's had my home address information, so they got more than just my CC number. When I asked the bank about it, they said that the merchant can get the address from them if they ask, so maybe that's how they got it, but who knows.

I talked to my wife about it, and she's concerned that my account information may have gotten compromised from one of these online locations. I've only really been doing any over-the-phone or online business with A&A, and only for this one CC.

I just want to put it out there that if anybody else has this happen to them, then maybe we can track down where the source came from.

And to watch out for yourselves.

My friend its quite possible you are at the beginning stages of a case of identity theft. First thing to do if you don't do so on a regular basis is to pull your credit reports. You can get them for free 1 time every year, its a law. To get your free credit reports:

Click here

Once you have a copy take some time and review to make sure there is nothing on there that you don't recognize.

Once you have done that, again if you have not already done so, is to contact the credit bureaus and put a "freeze" on your reports. This will prevent anyone from opening an account with your name without the credit bureaus first contacting you and you providing the appropriate password.

[lak20019]

Interestingly enough, my cc info is apparently out there in the great abyss now as well. My first card was used for a $50 shoe purchase at a shoe store I don't use. I closed that one down, and they reissued me a new card. Then two weeks later, my second card (which is exclusively used for vending) was used to buy...wait for it...yo-yos and a netflix subscription (what was I hacked by a 9 year old?). However today I was mailed something from Victoria's Secret about how they couldn't fulfill my order. Called them back, got a reference number, and turns out the people have been trying for 2 weeks to place the $80 order but kept getting declined. Apparently my thief wasn't a high roller. So now I'm going back and completely re-evaluating how I used my credit cards online.

[JEREMYTINA]

Interestingly enough, my cc info is apparently out there in the great abyss now as well. My first card was used for a $50 shoe purchase at a shoe store I don't use. I closed that one down, and they reissued me a new card. Then two weeks later, my second card (which is exclusively used for vending) was used to buy...wait for it...yo-yos and a netflix subscription (what was I hacked by a 9 year old?). However today I was mailed something from Victoria's Secret about how they couldn't fulfill my order. Called them back, got a reference number, and turns out the people have been trying for 2 weeks to place the $80 order but kept getting declined. Apparently my thief wasn't a high roller. So now I'm going back and completely re-evaluating how I used my credit cards online.

I have not been personally affected by this, but I had a former employee thst used custome's credit cards as a way to pay his own bills. It took a month but, we caght him. I am very careful with the way we use our cards online.

[mission vending]

I was hacked a week or so ago. Someone was trying to use my Visa business card at Cabela's for gift cards and again a Victoria Secret's. I cancelled card and was issued a new one. I also have a sneaky suspicion like Daryl suggested that it may have something to do with who we purchase product through. How can we order product without giving someone over the phone or online our CC #'s?

[/quote

The sad thing is thatyou`ve got to give CC to do business. There has to be an element of trust between the parties. You`ve just got to pay attention and look over you statements every month.

If a couple or more guys here all got hit on business CC then maybe you need to discuss among yourselves who you do business with and if there is some commonality a heads up phone call about possible identity theft to owners or mgmt would probably be appreciated.

[dperry]

I was hacked a week or so ago. Someone was trying to use my Visa business card at Cabela's for gift cards and again a Victoria Secret's. I cancelled card and was issued a new one. I also have a sneaky suspicion like Daryl suggested that it may have something to do with who we purchase product through. How can we order product without giving someone over the phone or online our CC #'s?

Cabela's seems to be the place of choice for card fraud. That's where they went when they did it to me.

[lak20019]

Alright the first card that got hacked had been used for the following vendors within the last 2 months: Eddie Bauer, Cardinal, Quill, TJ King (Vistar), Vendtrak, and Kickstart. I did not use A&A on this card.

[dperry]

The 2 month time frame could be irrelevant, as we don't know how long ago the info was stolen, to when it was used.

The only common uses I see are Eddie Bauer, Cardinal and Vendtrak.

[will.vend]

I use cardinal alot and have never had any problems (so far) I have never used vendtrak though...

[dperry]

I use cardinal alot and have never had any problems (so far) I have never used vendtrak though...

Have you had an issue with CC fraud?

[PnutGallery Co.]

I heard a thing on the radio that some CC companies are now offering one-merchant account numbers. These numbers are attached to your main number, and can be used for only one merchant. So if any one merchant gets hacked, then that number is worthless to anybody because it will only work for that one merchant. This may only be true for credit cards, and not debit cards, so ymmv. I asked my bank about it today, and they said they didn't offer anything like that. But it's worth asking your cc company to see if they offer it.

I have never used this but think it is available through Bank of America on their debit cards. I think they are called virtual credit cards. They are one time use numbers that go back to your main account. Pretty good idea but can not be used for something with recurring payments. Every time you want to make a charge you can go online and generate this one time use number.

[will.vend]

Have you had an issue with CC fraud?

no thats the point I was making, so maybe there is something going on with vendtrak

[lak20019]

I only had Vendtrak on the one card that was stolen, I did have Cardinal on both cards that were stolen. Found out yesterday that my mother's cc # was stolen as well...all 3 are Chase issued cc's. Anybody else have them through Chase? She has nothing in common with what I have on my cards (no vending at all).

[Jax Snacks]

I only had Vendtrak on the one card that was stolen, I did have Cardinal on both cards that were stolen. Found out yesterday that my mother's cc # was stolen as well...all 3 are Chase issued cc's. Anybody else have them through Chase? She has nothing in common with what I have on my cards (no vending at all).

I had a Chase card hit as well last month. This card was also used for vending and charity payments. They bought 4 gift cards for $100 each on an outdoorsman (hunting/camping/fishing) web site. They set up account in my name to purchase them. So they had my address to match the credit card billing. However, Chase customer service resolved the problem quickly and credited my account. Just another reason to nix those debit cards that look like credit cards - I don't need my bank account getting drained. More and more of these hacked data breaches have been in the news lately too.

[lak20019]

I had a Chase card hit as well last month. This card was also used for vending and charity payments. They bought 4 gift cards for $100 each on an outdoorsman (hunting/camping/fishing) web site. They set up account in my name to purchase them. So they had my address to match the credit card billing. However, Chase customer service resolved the problem quickly and credited my account. Just another reason to nix those debit cards that look like credit cards - I don't need my bank account getting drained. More and more of these hacked data breaches have been in the news lately too.

Thanks for the update Jax. I'm with you on the debit cards, I don't use them at all online...this cc mess is bad enough.

[lurtsman]

I only had Vendtrak on the one card that was stolen, I did have Cardinal on both cards that were stolen. Found out yesterday that my mother's cc # was stolen as well...all 3 are Chase issued cc's. Anybody else have them through Chase? She has nothing in common with what I have on my cards (no vending at all).

I had a credit card number stolen a few months back. I had used it for business and personal, but now each has its own card. Never used vend track. Did use cardinal, A&A, brand.