Beware if you use a debit/credit card

[thefairlaneman]

My neighbor used her credit card at several places and the next thing you know some (censored) who worked at one of the store steals the number. Next week she gets zapped for over 600 bucks she didnt authorize including the SOB even paid her friggin power bill with it......She was given a credit for her money back but so far the (censored ) hasnt even been arrested. What should my neighbor do?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

Get a new card and stay after the law to prosecute her/him.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

What Spinner said.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

Calling the CC company to get a credit isn't the same thing as pressing charges. Your neighbor needs to contact law enforcement. If this person was really dumb enough to pay their power bill with a stolen credit card... it won't be hard to find them... they'll be at the address on the utility bill. That's an easy case to make, and easy cases get done first. So tell your neighbor to go talk to the FBI/State BI (if you have a state bureau of investigation, most states do).

 

[oops!]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

the credit card company is really tough on that kind of stuff.....

if they had to give money back that they had allready paid.....there on it.....

say by by to the theif....

oops

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

the credit card company is really tough on that kind of stuff.....

if they had to give money back that they had allready paid.....there on it.....

say by by to the theif....

oops

They've gone soft on them now that they are charging the merchants thousands for non-PCI compliance. I think the current fine is $25,000/mo., but it's set to go up even further in April. They are making hundreds of millions off this problem now.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

Have her make a report at the police station. Most stations now have a special task force for this. It is increasing by leaps and bounds. After reporting it, she needs to report it to the credit bureau as well.

I think it is ironic that years ago the CC's were introduced so that a person would not have to carry large amount of cash and also have the security of it not being used by thieves. Things sure have changed with the age of computers.

I feel that if a vendor asks for ID to write a check, it should always be the same for the use of a CC. After all, isn't that why there is a signature on the card? I very rarely get asked for ID when using a CC. On mine, I have written in the signature area "Available upon Request". Only one in 9 years have asked to see other forms of ID with my sig on it.

The crime is so easy,,,,,,A caveman can do it!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

It's partly our own fault.

On all my cards I have written ASK FOR ID in the signature box.

If you mention that to the store clerks and cashiers when you check out and say "are you going to ask to see me ID?" it will help train the clerks to get into the habit of asking. Most of the time it is due to us becoming a lazy society when it comes to plastic.

If a store has cashiers who do not ask..... speak with the manager. While this may sound drastic...... it may be a battle we will never win.

Some people get insulted when asked for ID and we have become too shy to ask.

One local supermarket does not even require a signature if the amount is less than $25 (which is rare with today's prices!).

The other side of the problem is that when a piece of plastic is used ..... the store gets the entire number and expiration date..... the "consumer's side of the receipt" does not have the whole number as a protection measure.

Consumer's are responsible to keep track of their spending and check the balances. My debit/credit card usually takes 24-48 hours to appear on my statement (even electronically).

Short answer...... this is something we have to live with.

 

[tommays]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

i have found you have to worry the most ABOUT people you know



Tommays

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

oops is right. They credited the money back, and you can bet they will pound the thief when they catch them. Your neighbor doesn't need to do anything other than get a new credit card number. However, if you're playing the "knight in shining armor for some tail" angle we could probably come up with some way for you to save the day...

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

oops is right. They credited the money back, and you can bet they will pound the thief when they catch them. Your neighbor doesn't need to do anything other than get a new credit card number. However, if you're playing the "knight in shining armor for some tail" angle we could probably come up with some way for you to save the day...

No offense, but you couldn't be more wrong. Credit Card companies don't press charges even in cases of full identity theft, that is the responsibility of the individual, and if the individual doesn't, it can come back to bite them when the CC company reinstates their debt because no crime was reported to the authorities.

Your neighbor needs to file a police report for any criminal prosecution to occur as well as to gain additional legal protection.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

i have found you have to worry the most ABOUT people you know



Tommays

Truer words!!

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

My bank now allows its customers to custom design cards with a photo of their choice on the face. I am going to set my tripod up and use the delay feature on one of my digital cameras to take a self portrait. Once that is done, I will drop the photo into an image editing program and enter the words "Use not authorized unless ID presented."

My bank also has on-line banking and each transaction is booked almost immediately. While the name of the merchant may take a day or so to show up, there is always an entry in regard to the pending transaction, with the amount involved, and I check my accounts frequently, sometimes as often as several times a day. I also don't keep much money in the account attached to my debit card. Instead, I keep the money in account which has no card and transfer money into the other one as I need it. By doing this, I can limit the amount that anyone could steal from me to a few hundred dollars.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

I seldom get asked for any id using my debit card very seldom as long as I have the correct password, however some places dont ask for a password they just swipe it. The thief using it to pay her power bill is how they found out who had stolen THE NUMBER I would demand that she be arrested and would sign a warrant myself if needed.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

One thing to keep in mind in regard to debit cards is that your pin number is encoded on the mag strip on the back - thats is how an ATM knows what your number is. A lot of the thieves have readers and can very easily get this number if they steal your card.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

My bank now allows its customers to custom design cards with a photo of their choice on the face. I am going to set my tripod up and use the delay feature on one of my digital cameras to take a self portrait. Once that is done, I will drop the photo into an image editing program and enter the words "Use not authorized unless ID presented."

That's a good idea...

On the humor side, I'm temped to use a picture of the word, "VOID" written diagonally in big letters... Or perhaps "FAKE"... Maybe even "SAMPLE"... See what kinds of reactions I get at the store.

On the indecency front... I wonder how long it will take before someone puts porn or other indecent material on their card...

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

I use to kid around with this really nice bank teller, always trying to make her laugh. One day I went in and even though she knew me I produced a drivers licence that looked like my avatar. She and several others there had a good laugh.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

I always pay with cash or check at stores. I only use the card for when buying things from places like I boats.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

What I usually do is use my card for everything. However, with each transaction, I deduct the total from my checking account, so 1. You can't spend money you don't have 2. You don't have to deduct a penny from your balance when your statement comes, you just check the statement and your records for accuracy and cut the check, the balance was taken out already! That's pretty fun, not to mention you get to make interest on all of your money up until your CC bill is due.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Beware if you use a debit/credit card

ccards and debit cards are very different.
Each having laws and rules that regulate them.

Your debit card does not have the same safeguards built into it as your ccard.
Don't be fooled by the "visa" or "MC" logo on the front.