Hacker Alert

n/a | 2/26/2003 | myself

[beachn4fun]

I received a call from my credit union yesterday to inform me that a company I do business with (catalog company???) notified them that their data base was hacked into and my name came up as one whose credit card info was compromised. I was given the phone number of the security department of MasterCard, who was very helpful in reviewing my account to make sure that there were no unknown charges to my card yet. Then they immediately closed the account and promised new cards in 7-10 days. Really no hassle other than having to get another credit card.

I pass this along as a reminder that if you use your credit card, especially over the phone or via internet, please review your statements closely. Remember your credit information is only as secure as their databases.

[Pure Country]

Same thing happened to me on Friday. Got a call from my bank on my Debit card that ran on the Mastercard/VISA platform. Said that 7 cards had been compromised and lucky me, mine was one along with the lady who called me from the bank. New card is on the way.

[zx2dragon]

[MineralMan]

"Same thing happened to me on Friday. Got a call from my bank on my Debit card that ran on the Mastercard/VISA platform. Said that 7 cards had been compromised and lucky me, mine was one along with the lady who called me from the bank. New card is on the way."

Be really, really careful with such calls. It's a situation that could be hazardous. If someone calls from "your bank," make sure they know your card number before talking to them. If they ask you for your card number, then you're taking a huge risk.

Never give out your credit card number to someone who calls you! Never. That's a lot more dangerous than using your card on the internet.

[HiJinx]

Never give out your credit card number to someone who calls you! Never. That's a lot more dangerous than using your card on the internet.

That is so true, and bears repeating. My Networking instructor was the victim of fraud two years ago, and he was prompted to research the topic. As it turns out, the number one source of CC fraud is dishonest people to whom you give your credit card, for example, a waitress or cashier.

They manage to keep the paper slip or receipt, or copy down the numbers while away from your table, and the next thing you know your card is racking up the charges.

This isn't to say that internet or phone sales usage isn't potentially dangerous...just that these types of sales haven't been taken advantage of yet!

[beachn4fun]

Yeah, I can't wait for the day that some wise person creates a "reverse worm", something like an electric fence, in a firewall, so that when these bored creeps try to get into a system the firewall sends back a powerful jolt and blows their system all to hell.......

[IYAS9YAS]

There is a new scam going on (was on Boise, ID local news last night and this morning). Used the Internet via e-bay. The scammer sent an e-mail response to a guy wanting to sell a bike locally. The guy said the e-mail was strange in that they said someone in the area owed them money would the guy take a money order from the people who owed them, cash it, take his cost out of the cash, send his bike and the remaining cash to the address. This came out of Nigeria.

Legit news report, the guy in question is the State of Idaho deputy attorney general who was trying to sell a high-end bike via e-bay. Even showed a real looking money order in Bank of America's name. He was suspicious and kept his bike and the M.O.

The Secret Service is now investigating this...

[beachn4fun]

Ewww, a debit card. How do they handle that? I've heard that it's not good to use your debit card for that very reason. They can get to your money easier. But, at least the institutes are getting better at catching this stuff quick enough that the hackers can't use the account before it is closed.

[templar]

I pass this along as a reminder that if you use your credit card, especially over the phone or via internet, please review your statements closely.

Actually, any use is about as open to fraud as any other use. Everyone keeps their records electronicaly nowdays and every database is potentially penetrable via electronic or physical snooping. More security usually creates a more intelligent and clever class of thieves. Identity theft concerns me more than credit card record theft.

[N. Theknow]

This sort of thing would not happen if we just had a national microchip implanted in our right hands or our foreheads.

[AdA$tra]

(Did you know that pedophile is not in the Webster II dictionary?)

It is however in my Websters New Collegiate Dictionary coptwrited 1977, so you can still be prosecuted.

[MHGinTN]

"And the name and number of the beast ..."

[scouse]

It's in both of my Webster's; New Collegiate and New World. Maybe it is under paedophile in Webster's II.

[lorrainer]

Ewww, a debit card. How do they handle that?

Fraudulent use of your debit card can clean out your entire checking account. Credit card fraud is limited to the first $50.00; or, as some companies are now advertising, no liability at all. Ewww is right. I only use a credit card online.

[BlessedBeGod]

Happened to me, too. Chase was very good about it; I didn't know anything had happened until they called me at work to tell me there had been some suspicious charges overnight on my card. They cancelled it and Fed-Exed a new card right away.

The website that was hacked sent out a letter a couple of weeks later telling us customers that it had been hacked and that the Secret Service was investigating.

[BlessedBeGod]

That's an excellent point.

When I got the call from Chase, I made sure I didn't tell them anything about the account number of PIN#, etc. After I hung up, I called them back to verify that they really had called me. They were actually thrilled that a customer was so careful, and thanked me profusely.

[beachn4fun]

Oh, good. I'm so relieved. I thought these creeps managed to lobby to have it kept out!

[beachn4fun]

That's what I thought. I have always used the credit card on-line.

[beachn4fun]

Nah, I checked and although it has paedomorphism (i.e, Michael Jackson syndrome), no pedophile (paedophile). I even tried under pervert and it's not there either. :->

[Pure Country]

Be really, really careful with such calls. It's a situation that could be hazardous. If someone calls from "your bank," make sure they know your card number before talking to them. If they ask you for your card number, then you're taking a huge risk.

Thanks for the warning, but we bank at a small town bank where we are related to half the board of directors and know ALL the tellers personally. When Joan called, I knew it was Joan. We talked about the kids and all. There's something to be said for the small town America banks where you are not just a number.