Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

[Bucks45]

Wife and I were outside working in the yard tonight. I came in and saw that I missed a call from the 5/3 corporate office. I checked the message and the gentleman said that he was from the "Fraud" department. Left me a case # and asked me to call back. I immediately panicked and called them. I was on hold for about 5 minutes so I used the time to TRY to log into my accounts. The password was blocked! Finally got a person on the line and she told me that they had suspicious activity on my card tonight. I live in Ohio and someone had tried to use my card in California to make a $400+, $300+, $200+, and a $100+ transaction. All of the transactions were blocked, thankfully! The bank told me that it popped us as suspicious because I had just used my card in Ohio a couple of hours prior to the attempts in California. They said they think someone in California has made a counterfeit card! They verified my home address, canceled my old card, and said that I've have a new one in a couple of days! It'll be a pain in the a!! to change my automated bills, but it sure is nice to know they're watching.

 

[solar7647]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

You got lucky!!!!! This same thing happened to me (also Live in Ohio) but all the charges where made in NW Ohio where I live so thay wherent flagged. Didnt know about it till I whent to gas station to get gas and they denied my card the next day. They ended up ripping me $800 plus fees!!! 5/3 fixed it but we had to wait 5-7 days to get our money back....good thing family could help us with $....every since I am super careful to pay anything online....I only do it from work now because we have a super firewall and virus protection.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

We had our debit card blocked once also for the reason that 'someone had tried several times in one day to get into the account but made an error each time. A friend used her debit card at the local DMV and her number got stolen there and the next thing she knew some woman had paid her rent and power bill with it. Cops were of little help and wouldnt persue going after the thief but she did get her money back several days later.

 

[Bucks45]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

I'm pretty careful (atleast I think I am). I only pay with Paypal and have a pretty good firewall. I heard that there are computer programs that run possible credit card numbers and lock when they get a valid one. Don't know if that's true or not.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

Not sure if this could be "it", but the latest crime in CA is to open the face of the gas pumps and put a device in that captures the credit cards, when they are used to "pay at the pump". Turns out the keys use to open the face plates of gas pumps are just a standardized type key, that is common. Ooopppsss!

 

[Bucks45]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

Not sure if this could be "it", but the latest crime in CA is to open the face of the gas pumps and put a device in that captures the credit cards, when they are used to "pay at the pump". Turns out the keys use to open the face plates of gas pumps are just a standardized type key, that is common. Ooopppsss!

TW...I see you caught yourself, but they're doing that in the midwest too! They're putting card readers right over the slots of atm's. If you don't look closely it looks like part of the machine. They leave it on for a day and it records everyone's card.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

Had similar issue with company credit card. However it was me using it each time and just covering a lot of distance nowhere near home for a few days in a row. Had to call them to clear things up. Since then i let them know ahead where I am travelling if it is widespread in a short time frame.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

A couple years ago when I was not in the greatest financial shape I had my credit card # stolen. Apparently they had some way to bang CC #'s up against itunes to determine valid numbers. So I saw a $1.00 charge for itunes and then another fraudulent charge to some bogus company. Joke was on them though, they only managed to put about $37 on my card before it was maxed out I told the lady at USAA that maybe we should just let the thief keep it because he was probably more financially responsible. They got a good laugh out of that one.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

It'll be a pain in the a!! to change my automated bills, but it sure is nice to know they're watching.

Check back with the security folks, but I don't think this event should impact your on-line banking/bill paying.
That should be tied directly to your bank account and doesn't involve a bank card or PIN # in the loop.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

I had someone once try to use my card # in Istanbul. The bank called and asked and I told them "No, I hadn't been there." They did the same thing and cancelled it and sent me a new one.

No one's safe nowadays unless you only use cash and person-person, but then you can get mugged...

 

[kend301]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

My bank called me at work one day to ask if I was in Mexico ... I had just gotten back from lunch and used my card to pay in NC . 2 hrs prior to this over 3,600 was charged to my card in Mexico .. Got it all back by the end of the day . I had just paid for some internet stuff from Eagle Pass, Texas the night before.

 

[avenger79]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

very good to know they do actually watch that stuff.

TilliamWe -- that's very interesting, amazing what people will think up in order to scam someone else. Glad I never pay for gas with a card.

 

[tommays]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

Mastercard watchs for SURE which is good


BUT when i have driven to say and outlet mall in PA 200 miles from home i had my stuff locked down and came close to NOT being able to get home which is NOT so good

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

TW...I see you caught yourself, but they're doing that in the midwest too! They're putting card readers right over the slots of atm's. If you don't look closely it looks like part of the machine. They leave it on for a day and it records everyone's card.

That's similiar, of course, but the one on the ATMs are external and visible, if you actually look. The ones reported in CA at the pumps are completely hidden from view, as theives get a key to the cover on the pump and install the device behind it. No way to defend against this one. except not to pay at the pump.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

Is 5/3 the name of a bank or creditcard ???

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

i check my account every morning. 2 weeks ago, someone had charged my debit card. $100. to Metro PCS, was not me, card in my wallet. immediately went to the bank, card cancelled, new card issue. got my $$$ back also.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

i check my account every morning. 2 weeks ago, someone had charged my debit card. $100. to Metro PCS, was not me, card in my wallet. immediately went to the bank, card cancelled, new card issue. got my $$$ back also.

good job...ya have to stay on top of things now-a-days

 

[gstanton]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

5/3 is the name of a bank... as in "Fifth Third"

We see them in Florida

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

Just happened to me last week. Mastercard company called me and asked if I had made a $10.00 charge to Skype that morning. For some reason it tickled their fraud watch and caused them to deny the charge.

I asked what would happen if it had been legitimate. They said they could reinstate the charge. Needless, I got a new card number out of the deal. Seems that for a $10 charge, someone was just testing to see if they could get away with it for larger purchases.

 

[Bucks45]

Re: Bank Scare. Thanks 5/3!

Seems like a heard something going around a couple of years ago about some people that were charging less than $1 on others cards. They got away with it for quite a long time because people either didn't notice the charge, or didn't want to look into something less than $1. They were doing it several thousand times a week!