quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
My chipped card was fraudulently used. I suspect the number was stolen via an online purchase I made with a UK based merchant. My purchase was the typical online thing where one enters all the info including the 3 digit security # on the back of the card. They don't need the physical card and thus the chip doesn't provide any protection. Presumably someone hacked their database (they are a reputable small brick/mortar store).

I'm not really sure what kind of protection the chip even provides. Merchants without a chip reader just have you swipe it like usual. You can use it online.

A little over a month ago this is how my chipped card was used by someone in Texas. They did a $2 purchase at a Fairfield? motel which was allowed to go through.
Then they tried twice to buy a total of around $700+ at Walmart.com and were denied. Chase sent me a couple emails over that. I had a new card some days later.

Then about a week ago I get an email from Showtix4U.com finally letting me know their customer database got hacked. I had purchased tickets online so Mom could see her grandson in the school play.
I won't be doing it that way again and I'm starting to use cash a lot more.

I had 2 cards compromised on the same day this week. First my bank debit card, which i only use occasionally to get cash, and then only at the ATM at the bank that issued the card. Apparently mine and about 100 other card numbers were found for sale someplace.

Then later in the day I got an alert from VISA that one of my cards had been used for an online Walmart purchase. I do use this card for Netflix, Amazon, itunes account, etc, so its not too hard to imagine that getting hacked somehow.

What bothers me is - 2 in one day? Bad luck or something else going on? Wondering if I should freeze my credit for a while. No signs of anything else going on, but this is almost too strange.

By the way, I guard my debit card very closely. It would have to be a pretty major emergency for me to use it to get cash while I am traveling. If someone is still using swipe technology and the thief is watching you enter your PIN they could pretty easily drain your account. And I'm not sure how understanding the bank would be about cash withdrawls, or whether the $50 limit applies to cash withdrawn via debit card. i would rather take my chances with a credit card.

I have had it happen a couple of times and each time,it seemed like no big deal to them and all charges were taken off of my account. I don't understand the mentality of some of these companies. I guess it is just cheaper for them to right it off then to check into it more.

Well, I'm in good company it seems. Mine was hacked on Sunday with some charges to Uber and Microsoft Xbox. The bank was great about notifying me and removing the charges but I won't have my replacement card for a few more days. Just as well otherwise I would have bought at least one of the Berettas that AIM Surplus was advertising yesterday.

It was a chip card, a Navy Federal MC. It sounded like, no big deal, the matter is over. I guess it happens so often they don't even bother to go after thieves any more!

quote:

Originally posted by Tommydogg:
It was a chip card, a Navy Federal MC. It sounded like, no big deal, the matter is over. I guess it happens so often they don't even bother to go after thieves any more!

Yeah, I work at a bank - it is frustrating, but there is no one to go after it. Police won't take it and without them no way to build a case. That's also why it's so prevalent, the thieves no that no one is even trying to catch them.

This is kind of starting sound like the topic the other day about law enforcement not being able to do anything about auto burglaries. If someone like me made an illegal u turn or something, I'd get got!