Comments on: Credit Card Information Stolen

By: edenz713

edenz713 — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 21:10:08 +0000

I got a call like that once – no fraud but I had purchased $0.75 worth of stamps at the postal service (which apparently showed up as USPS – they had no change for my $20) and then bought my laptop (~$1000) online about two hours later. The person who called didn’t know what USPS was – which I thought was interesting.

By: Single Ma

Single Ma — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:33:11 +0000

Oh ok, I was wondering if he had to say something specific to get them to verify it. I don’t like it when cc companies call me at all. Not even for a trial offer of some rip off service (lol). I prefer to initiate the phone call so I know it’s legit. After my recent experience with OneUnited (they use 3rd party companies for CSR/tech support, the phone reps ask for social when they don’t even work for the bank), I don’t even know if that’s true anymore.

Thanks for sharing your dad’s story. It’s a safety reminder to us all.

By: pfadvice

pfadvice — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:25:54 +0000

When you said â€œHe immediately did the correct thing and asked if they could call him back in about 5 minutes as he wanted to call and verify it was really the credit card company calling. He called, verifiedâ€¦â€?

Who did he call? What did he ask? What did they actually verify?

He called the credit card company phone number on the back of his credit card. He simply said that someone had just called saying that they were from the credit card company and there was strange activity on his card and wanted to confirm that the call had come from the credit card company. The assistant verified that they had called.

Unfortunately there are scams out there where people will tell you that your credit card has been used and then ask for information which they can then steal. It should become a habit with any phone call your receive where sensitive information may be discussed – get their name and then either call the place that they say they are from and ask if what they are saying is true or ask for their phone number and then verify that phone number is correct.

By: Single Ma

Single Ma — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:08:51 +0000

This is interesting…

When you said “He immediately did the correct thing and asked if they could call him back in about 5 minutes as he wanted to call and verify it was really the credit card company calling. He called, verified…”

Who did he call? What did he ask? What did they actually verify?

By: Cliff

Cliff — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:48:03 +0000

When I worked at MBNA (now Bank Of America) the fraud department used a lot of different algorithms to detect fishy behavior on cards. The expiration date is, of course, a dead giveaway. But other indications are things like a small purchase at a gas station or convenience store followed immediately by a high-priced item. Most crooks try out the card somewhere inconspicuous, like a convenience store or gas station to make sure the card works. I guess the theory is that if the card fails it is easier to back out of a convenience store than a big purchase.

Other warning signs are sudden spending sprees that make no sense unless viewed in the context of a crook looking for easily fenced goods. Something like buying 10 $200 TV’s from wal-mart would definitely set off alarms.