Unauthorized purchases on your checking account (or credit card)

Unauthorized purchases on your checking account (or credit card)

 
 
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bayosgirl bayosgirl
Just wanted to warn you and also to see how common this is. In the last 2-3 months, I have had to deal with two unauthorized transactions on my checking account. One was over $700 at the Apple online store and it alarmed my credit union so much that they immediately shut down my account, and the other was a credit reporting service for $20. The weird thing is that I never used my card at either site. It leads me to believe they either hacked a site that I do shop from, or worse, they have spyware on my computer and somehow got my bank information that way. I'm glad I don't have a credit card/s, because I would drive myself crazy checking the balances all the time. I used to check my bank account online 2-3 times a week, now it's once or twice a DAY. Prior to the last few months I NEVER had anything like this happen, and now all of a sudden, twice in two months. It's a bit unnerving.

My question is, have you ever noticed an unauthorized transaction on your checking account or credit card statement?
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
reinkaos , DeliciousSurprise , *Camoprincess* , Petite Valentine , Vanille , indiglo , MissBre , wrmbreze , All His , js250 , RomanticGoth , ghalik , comatose-kitty , BBW Talks Toys , CoffeeCup , P'Gell , DustBunny , Kissy , Passion plum , bayosgirl , Jaimes , dv8
22  (49%)
lilly555 , Jon S , BG529 , romstomp , ElectricFeel , Emerlyn , SMichelle , Allstars316 , padmeamidala , ToyTimeTim , SThr , MistressDandelion
12  (27%)
JackRaiden , ejrbrndps , JR , tA , ViVix , G&L , michael scofield , Airen Wolf
8  (18%)
Peggi , Beck , Deeder
3  (7%)
Total votes: 45
Poll is open
05/16/2012
reinkaos reinkaos
I had one that was a group of scammers posing as a debt collection agency for cash advance loans, they took $225 from my bank account and I am still waiting to get it back. Every day that I talked to them, it was a different person with a different name and when a woman named Monica said to call and talk to her directly the next day, I tried and she was non-existant or so they say
05/16/2012
lilly555 lilly555
If you pay at one of those automated checkout stations they have at some grocery stores this can happen. If you use cash it should be fine but if it's your card it can be hacked from there. I think I read a news articles about store that was hacked and many of thier customers credit card info. was stolen.
05/16/2012
DeliciousSurprise DeliciousSurprise
I've had it happen a few times on different cards. It's always a big pain in the ass, but since I work for an ecommerce company it kind of doesn't phase me anymore... I know that it's common, but I also know a lot of online companies do their best to prevent it, and I know my credit card company will always side with me and cover my ass when people go on spending sprees.
05/16/2012
JackRaiden JackRaiden
Quote:
Originally posted by bayosgirl
Just wanted to warn you and also to see how common this is. In the last 2-3 months, I have had to deal with two unauthorized transactions on my checking account. One was over $700 at the Apple online store and it alarmed my credit union so much that ... More
There are so many ways to steal credit card (and bank) information these days, I can't really worry about. Hacks, number generators, keyloggers, scanners at point of sale, assholes (at bank, or at sales), etc. I've never had fraud on my accounts, but don't get me wrong, I credit that to to luck for the most part. I'm careful but many times it's out of your hands. I'm concerned most at the pace of security and technologies in this area.

I believe my mother had a AMEX card that was literally never used (credit for balance transfer, card cut up) that was somehow fraudulently charged once.

As DeliciousSurprise said, "a lot of online companies do their best to prevent it, and I know my credit card company will always side with me." I've found that to be true (my bank uses ridiculous 'fraud protection', many false-positives, even popular websites blocked), but then sellers get hit with fraud from that end (customer claims fraud, gets free product)...
05/16/2012
Peggi Peggi
Other. I've never had this happen, but I'm always cautious anyway.
05/16/2012
Beck Beck
I don't have a checking account or credit card to worry about. We do, however, use my mother in laws credit card. We have never had any issues with it except when we returned something and it didn't show up right away. The issue was the bill was mailed out too soon in timing with the return.

I do worry that someone will do this to the credit card. But there are so many ways someone can get your information.

I know a guy who goes to Florida every winter. Well, just this past winter he had someone get a hold of his debit card information. There are devices that people have that can scan your cards while it's in your pocket. And while you use it people can pick up your information as well. They are never safe. The police told him it likely happened to him while he was at the air port because they hang around the airport with these devices and that is where he was just about all day. Whoever got a hold of his debit card information cleared out his account. They stole over $3000 from him. And that was all he had, hence why it was in the bank. Luckily he could prove that it wasn't him and the bank has insurance for things like this.
05/16/2012
ejrbrndps ejrbrndps
never had the problem
05/16/2012
Vanille Vanille
Yes, I've had $75 worth stolen from my credit card on XBOX Live once. They used it to try to transfer out MS Points but because I don't have a family acct, they couldn't. Luckily the fine folks at Xbox CS squared it away for me, and returned my moolah when I got a new card number, and I'm now using points / LIVE subscription pre-paid cards from now on.
05/16/2012
indiglo indiglo
I have had some unauthorized charges on a couple of my accounts. On one credit card, I spotted it on my monthly statement, called the company and took care of it. On another credit card, they actually spotted it and called me about it! They took care of it right away, leaving me extremely impressed.

On a different occasion, my bank said some of the debit card info was hacked somewhere, so they sent me a brand new debit card with a new PIN.

I stay alert, but don't sit around and worry about it. If it happens, it can be taken care of pretty easily in my experience.
05/16/2012
VelvetDragon VelvetDragon
link This wallet is meant to block those devices that scan your credit cards in your pockets.
05/16/2012
Beck Beck
Quote:
Originally posted by VelvetDragon
link This wallet is meant to block those devices that scan your credit cards in your pockets.
I've heard about these. While it seems like a good idea your card in under attack as soon as you pull it out too. They need a clear cover for the credit card. Not a wallet.
05/16/2012
VelvetDragon VelvetDragon
Quote:
Originally posted by Beck
I've heard about these. While it seems like a good idea your card in under attack as soon as you pull it out too. They need a clear cover for the credit card. Not a wallet.
Yeah. But you'd have to take it out of the cover to scan it to make purchases! At least this protects it while you're walking through the airport and other scenarios such as those listed earlier in the thread.
05/16/2012
wrmbreze wrmbreze
I had this happen once to me. There was a transaction for almost 200 dollars. I called the company listed and the cust service person asked me to find the phone number listed for the transaction. The company was real but they were also getting scammed because people thought the money was being stolen by the company I called. Turns out the phone number went to a totally different place. I was able to get my money back because i had never done anything with either place. The customer service lady was very helpful, she gave me information to send to my bank proving that we were both being scammed.
05/16/2012
All His All His
I had this happen the week before christmas and had to jump through hoops just to be able to buy my 3yr olds presents, it sucked soooo much but im glad my bank caught it
05/16/2012
Beck Beck
Quote:
Originally posted by VelvetDragon
Yeah. But you'd have to take it out of the cover to scan it to make purchases! At least this protects it while you're walking through the airport and other scenarios such as those listed earlier in the thread.
Not if they made it thin enough.
05/16/2012
js250 js250
We had a payday loan scam take money from our account. It turned out they had gotten the info from a supermarket scanner. The do it yourself check out line. I do not use them anymore!!! Luckily my bank dealt with it and we get our money back.
05/16/2012
RomanticGoth RomanticGoth
My sister stole my wallet and used it. She also went shoplifting and got arrested with my ID, she was let go once they found out it wasn't her. It's on my record, not hers! She maxxed out my credit card, emptied out my bank acount and savings, and wrote a bunch of checks that bounced.

That was a few years ago and I'm still trying to get it fixed.
05/16/2012
VelvetDragon VelvetDragon
Quote:
Originally posted by Beck
Not if they made it thin enough.
I believe a Faraday cage (which blocks the signals that these people are picking up) also blocks most magnetic signals (i.e. would interfere with the scanning of the card to use it), no matter how thin the material is. I could be wrong?
05/16/2012
Beck Beck
Quote:
Originally posted by VelvetDragon
I believe a Faraday cage (which blocks the signals that these people are picking up) also blocks most magnetic signals (i.e. would interfere with the scanning of the card to use it), no matter how thin the material is. I could be wrong?
I'm not really sure. I'm sure they can come up with something though. They NEED to. There should be a clear coat that is one your card to help protect it. Though, thieves will just come up with a new and better idea.
05/16/2012
ghalik ghalik
Quote:
Originally posted by RomanticGoth
My sister stole my wallet and used it. She also went shoplifting and got arrested with my ID, she was let go once they found out it wasn't her. It's on my record, not hers! She maxxed out my credit card, emptied out my bank acount and ... More
Yikes! My sympathies.
05/16/2012
ghalik ghalik
This happened to me once. It was a computer security thing that was an obvious unauthorized purchase for me (proud machead), so I caught it right away and got a new bank account number and debit card. It was relatively painless as I just had to report it to my bank and they took care of everything. That was about 2 years ago and I haven't had any similar problems since.
05/16/2012
BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Had it happen once, but I'd lost my card/checkbook. It was resolved very quickly and fairly easily, especially since this was over a decade ago.
05/16/2012
P'Gell P'Gell
I've had it happen a few times with credit cards. I called the credit care companies, and explained the situation, and it was resolved and at no time did I have to pay for the damages or the products I didn't purchase.

Twice I had to get a new credit card number, to prevent a place from continuing to overbill me for magazine subscriptions (and I know that was from an old order from a toy company named for the "Original" man and woman on Earth.....) I know I will never buy anything from this company again, as it cause problems.

It has never happened to me in more than one place at once, though. I hope someone didn't get hold of your identity, bgirl. Make sure you check with your bank regularly so they can try to catch who did it and so that it doesn't happen again.

Good luck.
05/16/2012
P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by VelvetDragon
I believe a Faraday cage (which blocks the signals that these people are picking up) also blocks most magnetic signals (i.e. would interfere with the scanning of the card to use it), no matter how thin the material is. I could be wrong?
You're right, Dragon. The same magnetic signals and information used to make purchases is the data stolen from wallets etc.

If something blocks magnetic signals from getting to the scanner at the store, they can't charge your card. There is no way to use the card and "protect" from electronic scanners at the same time.
05/16/2012
DustBunny DustBunny
I check my bank account every 2-3 days. I once had my iTune account hacked, they refused to handle it and I had to get my bank to place a stop payment on the two $50 charges made on my account. I removed my card that I was aware was saved there and it ended up costing me $30(stop charge fee) to get my $100 back. I than changed my bank because it seemed ridiculous to charge me when someone hacked my account.
05/16/2012
Kissy Kissy
Looks like the majority of us have dealt with this. It is no wonder they shut my account down so fast when anything is fishy. Interesting votes. I am glad (sort of but not really) that I am not alone on this!
05/16/2012
Passion plum Passion plum
I got a call from my credit card company due to a travel site charging a monthly unathorized fee to my card for several months. They said they had recieved several complaints and were contact all of their customers who had the charge.
05/16/2012
Deeder Deeder
My card/account has never been wrongfully charged, and I'm pretty careful in the sense that I check (and double-check) my balance and charges everyday.

The closest I've ever experienced to this was when I was getting a monthly $10 a month charge on my AT&T bill (my mother-in-law has a cell phone line we pay for) from when she accidentally opened a random text once. (It was charging her for recipes, or something.) As soon as we figured out was it was we called AT&T, got credited the money, and had parental controls added to where it wouldn't happen again.
05/16/2012
Allstars316 Allstars316
Not yet for me. But I thought it did happen a few months ago. Turns out I didn't have enough money in my checking account. Anyway I only have one CC. SO I don't worry too much.
05/17/2012
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