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.
some thieves using card readers on some gas pumps.
Good to know. I purchased the gas in Minnesota but the charges were coming out of New York. Thanks.
When I used to travel a lot it happened two or three times a year.
I always pay for gas, or anything at those convenience stores, by cash. Too many people have had experiences such as yours.
Card readers on pumps are big targets. Run as credit not debit to keep fraud down. Some card companies are better than others at catching this. Chase and AmEx are good. However we got hit on a seldom used card didn’t catch it until we checked the bill. Check your bill often
Happened to me at the Georgia State Republican convention last month. The bank figured out that I couldn’t be in Augusta and the Orlando Wynn Dixie at the same time. Samsung Pay also rejected their attempt to turn their smartphone into an NFC version of my card. I had the culprits down to two, restaurants by the convention, and informed management of both.
It’s probably a good idea to get a wallet or card holder with an RFID blocker. There are readers out there that can get your card info from a foot or two away so thieves can steal your info even if the card’s in your pocket.
Happened to wife’s debit card about a month ago and the bank credited back the funds and issued her a new card.
On the 15th my credit card company called me and asked if I bought a $3,700.00 camera,I didn’t and they reversed the charge cancelled my card and sent me out a new one and then upped my credit allowance by $18,000.
I have had it happen twice.
The first time the bank caught it before I did. It was someone in England trying to use my debit card. They sent me a new card quickly so no real problem
The second time, a vendor put a charge on my debit card that I caught because I check my online banking fairly often.
The bank made me jump through a few hoops including filling out a form and mailing it in. They did finally remove the charge.
You probably got skimmed.
They are getting better and better at it. Be sure you tell the retailer too. You won’t be the only one.
Yes it’s happened.
My credit card never leaves my hands. Always pay cash in restaurants, it’s too common these days for wait staff to run your card through a scanner and make a copy.
A few years ago I attempted to make a purchase in a shopping mall and was told my card was rejected.
First thing I thought was that I hadn’t paid up.
When I checked, found that wasn’t the case. Then I called the credit card company.
They had frozen my account for suspicious purchases. They asked me if I had been in Maryland recently; they had two purchases of jewelry items that had been made on-line, with the shipping address to a location in Maryland. I had not.
They said they would issue a new card, but before they did I had to fill out some forms for their investigation. I don’t remember what was in them, but they weren’t very onerous. I think basically I was signing a document that stated that I had not made the fraudulent purchases in question. I mailed it back, and got my new card.
IIRC, the name associated with the address sounded Russian or Ukrainian. They asked me if I knew anyone by that name when I called them.
I had not lost the card, or let anyone take it at a restaurant.
We get hit every couple of years. The credit card company has caught it every single time. Haven’t been hit with our newer “chip” cards yet. Last fake charge was done in Corsica.
It’s a nuisance to get hit because it’s a few days to get the next card (if not done expedited). But, I ALWAYS thank the card company employee when talking to them. Always.
We do keep a backup card (no fee) for just these types of problems.
Has happened a few times over the past ten years ... often shortly after buying gas. Never a problem with the credit card issuers whether I notified them of the bogus charges or if they notified me ... just be prompt, of course, with your notification to them.
My thought is that it doesn’t happen that often. I’ve used credit cards, perhaps when they first started, and have rarely had false charges show up on them. And it has been my experience that fraudulaent charges are readily reversed by the credit card issuers. The companies that assist in such cases would have you believe that it’s very difficult to reverse such charges. That has not been my experience. I once had several thousand $ in airline tix to Nigeria fraudulently charged to a card. The charges were quickly reversed. Just monitor your statements and respond to alerts and you should be in good shape. No need to penalize yourself by resricting your use of your cards.
-PJ
ML/NJ
Happened to me 3 times in the last 5 years on cards that are strictly used online only. Two of the three purchases were from companies I never bought from before. One was in China and another was Toys R Us.
1). Credit is safer than Debit
2) Chip card safer than swipe
3) set up your online profile and have them send you an email whenever the card is used.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.