I had my Citi card replaced due to fraudulent charges not even 20 days ago and I just got a fresh one on my new card. I have only used it at a gas station and Costco. I hope these people get eaten by ants.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
I had my Citi card replaced due to fraudulent charges not even 20 days ago and I just got a fresh one on my new card. I have only used it at a gas station and Costco. I hope these people get eaten by ants.

People stick readers on pumps, learned that the hard way. They should be towed out to sea and sunk.

I've never been more frustrated than dealing with these asshole fraudsters the other day. I work Loss Prevention for a retail chain. We had 6 people in one day come into the store and at, the self-checks, buy upwards of 10 to 15 $30 in-store gift cards. each $30 transaction was a different card. some of the 6 had the same stolen card numbers copied onto different cards.

I was notified of it when an officer from Florida called the store and asked to talk to me about turning over video and transaction data to the local PD.

I decided to call the region's Global Investigations for the retailer I work for and see what they can do since it's obviously across state lines now.

Global Investigations told me (and I paraphrase into bullet points)

-$30 transactions are benign and low-dollar enough, that it's too hard to track, and separate the good from the fraud.
-the money isn't ours (the store's), since it's on gift cards so we can't do anything
- the credit card charges will be disputed by the end-user cardholder, and reversed, so they're not out money. (it's a headache, but it's the cardholders problem, not mine, essentially).
- From the MO you've told me, it sounds like the Cuban's scheme they have going on. are they cuban? (yes. they look cuban.) Yep. They're good. they're fast, and they fly under the radar and make it not worth us tracking down.
- (I asked what, if anything, I can do) Well, just give the police the data you have as you receive the requests for info from the local PD. (essentially, nothing. just waste my time, eh?)

He kept throwing around "low dollar" and "small-time" and shit, when I had 8 or 10 gift card numbers each with values of $1000. they easily swiped $5000 or more just in my store alone on ONE DAY.

I asked him if there could be a way for them to get the programming to not allow gift cards to be sold on the self-check registers to block this from happening. "oh, that's up to Operations. not me. I dunno anything about that. tell your boss to send it up the line." Yeah. that'll do anything.

What I learned? Retailers don't care. literally, do not give a shit about this. Okay - cards get skimmed, and if they're getting skimmed in a particular location then that location better care, but chances of them even knowing is pretty slim. I, at my level, train my employees to watch for suspicious activity and deter these assholes - make them nervous enough to stop and leave. but that doesn't always happen. they often have a decoy to distract my employees while they do these. they're quick.

and as for local PD? they don't get enough info from the cards, my cameras, and it's always a delayed report of a few hours to a few weeks in some cases.

Oh, I am still mad just thinking about all that!

The retailers don't care. LE doesn't care (too small, too common, and too much work.) The banks don't care (it's easier for them to just notch up interest rates and fees to compensate, rather than try and stop it.) And the CC companies don't care (think it just not their problem.)

So no one who might be in any position to do anything about it cares. The fraudsters know this, and know how to stay just under the threshold where some of the above might care, and still be able to make good money with the fraud schemes. This is a more modern form of shoplifting.

Agree. No pursuit or prosecution of these assholes so the rest of us suffer with it.

quote:

I've never been more frustrated than dealing with these asshole fraudsters the other day. I work Loss Prevention for a retail chain. We had 6 people in one day come into the store and at, the self-checks, buy upwards of 10 to 15 $30 in-store gift cards. each $30 transaction was a different card. some of the 6 had the same stolen card numbers copied onto different cards.

Thanks for caring for what its worth. These perps eventually get karma they deserve. {At least that thought makes me feel better}. I have been a victim on multiple occasions.

I would totally be ok with lining a few key roads leading into our city with crucified thieves like this. Might have a positive effect.

Spartacus. Love it. Probably not PC though.

One of my Mastercards alerted me to a red-flagged transaction, sent me a new card and recently credited me for $200 worth of more bogus charges.

One possible reason banks don't pursue this fraud is that much of it is committed by some very dangerous people, i.e., the [insert country here] Mafia.

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Originally posted by egregore:
One possible reason banks don't pursue this fraud is that much of it is committed by some very dangerous people, i.e., the [insert country here] Mafia.

What, the Bad Guys are gonna go into a branch and start shooting the place up? These bastages need to be prosecuted vigorously. Start putting them away, doing hard time, and sooner or later the message will be received.

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One possible reason banks don't pursue this fraud is that much of it is committed by some very dangerous people, i.e., the [insert country here] Mafia.

In some circles those in the financial industry are known as "banksters".

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Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
One possible reason banks don't pursue this fraud is that much of it is committed by some very dangerous people, i.e., the [insert country here] Mafia.

What, the Bad Guys are gonna go into a branch and start shooting the place up? These bastages need to be prosecuted vigorously. Start putting them away, doing hard time, and sooner or later the message will be received.

Try to identify them, first. That's the kicker. We have had some good results lately on some of them, but there are a ton of them out there. Just kids, all they need to do is download the necessary hacking tools. They don't even have to understand how they work.
 

While taking my fraudulent use report the officer said that they would love to prosecute but the banks and credit unions decline to. They consider it a "cost of doing business".

Well guess who ultimately pays for "cost of doing business" through higher fees and interest charges?

One of these days, I'll win the MegaMillions, you know after I give them money. Anyways, after I convert a Chinook into a flying motorhome, my next order of business is creating a sort of A-Team that goes out and hunts the peckerheads that think stealing credit card info is a fine idea. Their crimes will be recorded and played back for them. Should they recant, their punishment may be light. But, should they be dickbags about it, their punishment will be grave indeed.

Credit card fraud exists because our law enforcement and judicial branches lack the resources and/or desire to take it seriously and aggressively prosecute. There is virtually zero enforcement of these crimes.

We have an on-going criminal case regarding ID theft.

Coincidentially, the two young ladies were in court today and they are looking at 22 Cl 4 felonies each.

Our DDA does have the desire to take it seriously.

It will be an interesting story when this is done and I can relate it.

Get you an RIF wallet blocker. I too had issues with charges on both my credit union and Bank of America card, neither of which I used outside of stores or gas stations. When I buy gas I pay inside never using the pump unit. It seems people can simply walk by you and scan your magnetic strip still in your wallet in your back pocket and get the info. Since I bought that wallet that has anti-scan strips woven into it, I haven't had a lick of problems.

As to online purchases, I use a Bank of America Mastercard, and when I need to make a purchase I go to BOA website, login to my account and have them issue me a one time credit card number, good for exactly ONE purchase and one purchase only.

I guess I need to step it up some. I just had a card shut down, someone tried a $4k 'balance transfer' onto the card. This is also a card I hardly use.

For most nickle & dime purchases, I'll use cash. At least I've always had the CC company catch it early.