Posted on 06/23/2017 1:54:44 PM PDT by johniegrad
Purchased gas on my credit card today. Several minutes later, I received a text message from my credit card vendor asking me to confirm other purchases, none of which I had made. Contacted credit card company and they froze the account. They are expediting me a new card which I will receive Monday.
I've had this happen in the past also and things are always resolved quickly and to my satisfaction. But I wonder how often this happens to other Freepers. Basically, I'd like to know how often this should be expected to happen to see if I need to do something differently with the way I use my card.
Gas pump had a skimmer on it.
I haven’t experienced this, but I’ve heard of it happening more and more frequently lately at gas stations. If you can possibly pay inside, rather than at the pump that’s better because thieves are targeting the pumps with card readers of some sort. I use my Valero credit card exclusively, rather than another type of card. If I’m not at a Valero station (that’s the only gas card I have), I pay cash or use my MasterCard inside.
Sorry this happened to you, but glad it was caught quickly!
Happened to my son, Tampa area, last week.
Happened to me at a gas pump too.
They spent $10 on iTunes to check to see if card was good then spent $1000. When they tried to do another $1500 they were stopped and I got a call from the cc company. Pay inside, not at the pump or pay cash.
When using credit cards at gas pumps, especially non-chain types, always check to see if the gas pump’s access door is sealed. Here in Florida they have to have a seal on the access panel. If not sealed, DO NOT USE THAT PLACE! Thieves have installed card readers that copy your info and pin number as you type and immediately transmit the info far away, and before you even hang up the pump nozzle they have charged hundreds if not thousands of dollars of stuff on your card........................
There is little to remedy the situation. Credit cards companies are quite good at preventing a lot of this stuff.
I use a credit card extensively for travel. Probably a thousand times/year. You can get lucky and not have it happen for years, and you can get nailed several times in one year. It is a necessary evil. At least you are not on the hook for fake charges to the account.
It is amazing how cc companies can predict and verify your purchasing behavior. NSA mind tapping tinfoil wearing justification kind of thing.
Unfortunately this cannot be avoided, as long as you use a credit card.
The only thing that can be done, is to keep an eye on the charges and contact the cc company right away, if you see a charge you did not make. I have internet access to my cc-s and check it often.
But some people think that has its own risk also.
So, just stay vigilant.
Happened to me twice in the last year. I have alerts set on my credit cards to notify me by email for every transaction. They also profile your spending habits and if something is charged that does not fit your ‘profile’, they call and ask if you made the purchase. I have never had to pay for fraudulent charges.
My credit cards are used online only and I have one for gas because it pays money back on gas. I pay the balances monthly, or more, so no interest.
A couple of weeks after catching a false charge on my debit card, I ordered a TV online from Walmart.
I got a notice in my email asking if that was my charge. I told them it was.
CC companies are typically very cooperative on this kind of thing. I am always surprised though how often the must hurt because of fraudulent use. It’s gotta be substantial.
I gave the attendant at the Gas Station a $100 bill and told him to put $60 on number 3, he gave me $40 change and I got $60 in gas, nobody sent me a Text Message.
Identity and Credit card theft are just like pregnancy.
Abstinence works every time it is tried, if you make NO electronic transactions you won’t have your credit card or identity stolen.
Can card readers read chip cards, or does the pin change so frequently that it makes them useless?
I NEVER put my card into a gas pump this is a HUGE problem people insert readers into pumps!!! ALWAYS go inside and pay!!!!!
I always check to see if a skimmer is installed on the pump, pretty easy to spot once you know what to look for.
do’t know how it works and some pumps can’t be rigged. All I know.
I solved the gas station skimming problem by purchsing ARCO gift cards at my local grocery store using my regular credit card. If they skim my gift card they get whatever is left on the card if they can spend it before I do.
I have the same system. There’s never been a problem.
About 10 years ago I had a charge for an ISP in Russia for about $20. I contacted the CC company and they removed the charge.
About 6 years ago, my CC company called to inquire about some unusual charges. One was an airline ticket from Turkey to some Gulf state. A second that was pending was also an airline ticket from a Gulf state to Europe. I assured the CC that I had not been traveling. They stopped payments, closed that card, and sent me a new card.
These kinds of things seem to be more frequent than one would expect. CC companies are pretty good about removing questionable charges.
Sounds like someone put a card skimmer on the gas pump. Call the cops and report it.
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