debit card fraud

[investingnoob]

I was a victim of debit card fraud yesterday. I was on my lunch break and had a gut feeling to check my bank account online. Log on and see $1000 was withdrawn from my checking account. instantly called my bank BECU and cancelled my card. Here's the weird part. It was taken from an ATM at an airport in California.
What boggles me is I live in Washington.
My card is in my wallet. I never use it to buy online.
plus it was from an ATM which requires a pin#.

I caught it the day it happened so hope that helps...but fear debit card fraud means I won't get my money back....did a fraud form so we will wait and see.

So now I'm worried to use my debit card. I might use cash now. My only thought is a restaurant or store stole my card # and pin? No clue I'm just sad and stressed.

[disneysteve]

Good thing that you caught it. The problem with debit cards is just that. When there is fraud, you will eventually get the money back, but until then, it is gone from your account. With a credit card, fraud just creates a charge on your bill that you don't have to pay so you aren't ever actually out the money.

[kork13]

So now I'm worried to use my debit card. I might use cash now. My only thought is a restaurant or store stole my card # and pin? No clue I'm just sad and stressed.

Sorry to hear about the fraud, but at least you caught it quickly... Hopefully your bank sorts it out expediently so you're not out the money too long...

Most likely what happened is that you used an ATM or some other card reader that had been tampered with. They can be programmed (somehow... not familiar on specifics) to essentially copy all of the data from your card's magnetic strip, then someone either looks over your shoulder (in person or with video) or programs the ATM to also remember your pin entry. It's sadly becoming more and more common.

In general, people should only use ATM's in public places that we can trust (in banks, large grocery stores, your office building, etc) -- ATM's outside of gas stations, street corners, and convenience stores are easily fiddled with, because there's often very little surveillance to detect someone messing with it.

[investingnoob]

That's crazy, I never imagined this would happen to me..