Stolen credit card details

[lowkee]

The wife got a call this morning telling us someone else was using my credit card. Looks like someone cloned my credit card and went of a heck of a shopping spree. The only reason it was flagged is because they went over limit on it and continued to try to use it.

I've had my identity stolen once (really badly), but never had a card cloned before. Just goes to show, taking precautions is the way to go.. get a card with no-hassle fraud protection. I have a new account setup and my new card will be here shortly (with the same terms as the old one). I'm glad these protections exist nowadays. When my identity was stolen 9 years ago, it wasn't even illegal and getting someone to help you just wasn't possible.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Stolen credit card details

How do they clone a credit card??

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Stolen credit card details

That suxs Lowkee! I hope they catch who ever is responsible and nail their nads to the wall!

 

[lowkee]

Re: Stolen credit card details

How do they clone a credit card??

Hey Waven,

Credit card readers can double as writers, so if someone has a card laying around, all they have to do is encode it using a writer (the magnetic strip on the back) and CC machines will see it as my card. The details on the card itself won't be the same (unless they have a CC press, which exist), but online retailers and plenty of store clerks never ask to see the card to verify the details. Heck, I just bought groceries today and didn't have to present my card or sign for it, just swipe and go.

CC details are all over the place if you have the right contacts and any time your CC leaves your eyesight, it is a candidate of being captured and later cloned (many CC thieves will work as a store clerk or a waiter).

A popular method of fully cloning a card is to have a CC reader behind the counter or on your person (hip mounted under the shirt is common) and it will record every card swiped. The person can later pull up those details at home and program a different card using those details. The only part of a card which isn't encoded is the verification code on the back, which is normally only 3 digits and is easily memorized.

Short version is, don't ever think your Cc details are safe, no matter how paranoid you are, as it only takes a flick of the wrist to steal your details, even if you are staring right at them. Thieves work the same way any cheesy magician does.. slight of hand and minor distractions.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Stolen credit card details

Hey Dude!!
Man I will becareful from this point on, Thanks for explaining that for me, I just got a first credit (always been a cash guy) for emergencies, wife talked me into it. Will watch out!! I hope they nail them too, hopefully they will be able to track down the theif!!

 

[lowkee]

Re: Stolen credit card details

That suxs Lowkee! I hope they catch who ever is responsible and nail their nads to the wall!

Thanks Bigred.

They likely won't even bother trying to catch the guy, as it simply happens way too often. It ranks up there with SPAM senders in priority. It requires more than 5 minutes of effort and they don't get enough recognition to make it worthwhile. I know I sound pessimistic, but I've been through it before. The police won't help because they don't understand it and it requires too much investigating over jurisdictional boundaries and the CC company won't bother because it is a write-off anyway and if the amount if too high they will just sue you and you have to prove your details really were stolen, which you can't because the police won't investigate it.

The only people who win with identity theft are the thieves, as only the seriously big fish ever get investigated. When it comes to having your identity stolen, you'll end up wishing your house burned down instead.

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Stolen credit card details

Well, I still hope they get what's coming to them. It's unfortunate the police or credit card companies won't do anything to stop this, especially ID theft.

 

[lowkee]

Re: Stolen credit card details

Heh, update on the dud who cloned my CC. He obviously had my security code, since he placed an online order, so that means he has seen my card in person (store clerk or waiter). Well, I just recieved a package of $300 worth of clothes from some store called "Hollister". Sadly the crook doesn't wear my size. Moron didn't even change the shipping address.

 

[deadstick]

Re: Stolen credit card details

at this point you can only hope he online shops a best buy and wants a new tv... 50" plasma... christmas early

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Stolen credit card details

Sadly even face to face with a lot of clerks, they never even look at the credit card. I have 'See ID' on the back instead of my signature and very rarely get asked. To them if it looks like a card and feels like a card, they don't care.

Hollister though sounds like a decent online vendor. There are quite a few that will ONLY ship to the address registered to the card and will not accept a secondary shipment address. This is especially true if there are any hints to them (that credit card processors provide), the card may just be stolen. If I were you I would contact Hollister and find out what IP address made the purchase, or do get the police involved so they can get a warrant for those records and I guarantee the bone head will be caught. That's an easy case for the police.

 

[joed]

Re: Stolen credit card details

Sadly even face to face with a lot of clerks, they never even look at the credit card. I have 'See ID' on the back instead of my signature and very rarely get asked. To them if it looks like a card and feels like a card, they don't care.

Hollister though sounds like a decent online vendor. There are quite a few that will ONLY ship to the address registered to the card and will not accept a secondary shipment address. This is especially true if there are any hints to them (that credit card processors provide), the card may just be stolen. If I were you I would contact Hollister and find out what IP address made the purchase, or do get the police involved so they can get a warrant for those records and I guarantee the bone head will be caught. That's an easy case for the police.

The police or credit card company will handle all the tracing of the crook. It's not up to the card holder. You do need to return the items or you should pay for them since you have them.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Stolen credit card details

I just wanted to provide a little input on this from the police perspective. My brother-in-law is a state trooper. They WANT to try to investigate and prosecute these cases but they are given little help from any of the other players involved: credit cards companies, internet service providers, etc. For them it's just easier to let it go then to make the effort to provide the police with the information they need. It is certainly frustrating for the victim and the police.

Funny story, I had my credit card information stolen once a couple years ago. Apparently the crooks had some way of banging numbers up against itunes and were able to use that to determine valid combinations. So a victim would see a small (like $1.00) itunes charge and then they would start charging other stuff. Ironically, my card was pretty well maxed out at the time. The lady at the bank and I had a good laugh about that. I told her perhaps we should let the crook keep it because he'd probably be more responsible. I think the crook got like $37. Lol.

 

[lowkee]

Re: Stolen credit card details

From a victim's perspective, I WANT world peace, but nothing ever gets done without getting off your *** and doing something about it. From my point of view most cops are lazy slobs who only enforce the laws they think cause them the least amount of headaches. Ignored are any laws which require them to jump through any kind of hoops or cause any type of friction on an interdepartmental level. The .01% of police who may give a crap about enforcing ALL laws, not just the easy to enforce ones certainly don't fit the bill. Laws prevent citizens from persuing suspects, yet the police won't get out of their air conditioned cars unless they have something to gain from it or it will cause more of a headache not to. Citizen protection and justice never even enter the picture.

Prior to my identity theft 9 years ago, I found a stack of forged documents belonging to my roommate. I delivered them to the police department and they said there was no need for them to makes copies. A report was filed and nothing was done. Days later, the same roommate was charged with assault, my bank and investment accounts were overdrawn by over $100K (with a K) and I came home to a completely cleaned out apartment. Even after gathering evidence on my own (with no money mind you, since I no longer had any), the police refused to open even a fraud investigation and the FBI wouldn't even return my phones calls. To this day my credit is still a mess from that guy, I was sued for $40K that I didn't have, instead having all of my vehicles taken from me, and he served a whopping 4 years in prison after I practically staulked a DA until he prosecuted him.

To me, there is no such thing as a cop who gives two of anything for private citizens. If it doesn't negatively impact them, nothing will be done, no matter how many lives it ruins.

As for the forged documents the police didn't bother taking copies of? Two of them turned out to be DUI arrests he used my name in and I had arrest warrants out on me stemming from them. The police in both cases never even bothered to confirm his identity, as if they did one stitch of effort to check, they would have quickly realized I am a white male and he was a black male.. not too much confusion there. So never ever think you are safe just because you follow the rules. The police could care less if you did it or not. If some DUI crook says he is you, they will believe him. I had two arrest warrants against me proving that.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Stolen credit card details

As for putting on the back of the card "See ID" seems to be the best idea. I work part time in a hardware store and we DO ask for ID if the back of the card asks us to. We also ask for ID if the card is not signed (a lot are not signed). These are usually just worn off - they say.

What really irks us are those people that get visibly irate or snotty when we ask for ID.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Stolen credit card details

What really irks us are those people that get visibly irate or snotty when we ask for ID.

When I worked at a convenience store I could never understand a person coming to buy smokes not bringing their ID. I don't understand why people just don't carry it anywhere in public. I've noticed that a few places around here go in to a kind of 'lock down' when they've been warned of credit card problems. Everyone gets ID'd.


lowkee I know you don't have much faith in the 'system'... trust me I understand completely but it's worth filing a report these days and mentioning the unexpected delivery you received. These days since this has become more of an epidemic rather then an inconvenience, credit card companies are WAY more receptive to helping out and so is law enforcement. In fact, credit card companies protect the customer waaaayyyy more then they protect the merchant hence buyer protection. Also, if this dip somehow lives out of state, he'll be more then screwed.