Credit card hackers

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Jogeephus

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Does anyone know how they do this and is there any way to prevent this from happening?

I recently got a call from USAA and they asked if I was in Ireland. I told them no and they informed me that someone was using my credit card someplace in Ireland and had run up a couple hundred dollars in charges. They said they would kill the card and send me another. I told them it would be helpful if they expedited sending the card to me since I was going to attend my son's graduation this weekend and would need the card to pay for the hotel and such.

On Thursday I received two new cards and we went to Florida for the graduation and we all went out to eat but when I went to pay the bill I was told the card was no good. Thankfully I had enough cash to pay the bill but I called USAA and they told me they had killed the card because they were unable to reach me and someone had charged $6700 on this new card in Los Vegas. Crap! I wasn't even in possession of the card but for a day and hadn't even used it and someone had already hacked it. I don't see how this is possible. These last two cards also had the chip in them which I thought were supposed to help prevent this kind of stuff and never until now that they issued the chip cards have I ever had any trouble with the cards. Granted, I rarely use them and tend to use them only for stuff like this.

I'm really puzzled how this can happen and can't see how credit card companies can stay in business if these things are so easily hacked. Ii feel for USAA because this will effect them more than me but I'd like to know what, if anything, I can do to prevent this inconvenience from happening again. Anyone know anything about how all this works? Thanks.
 
I don't know if there is a relationship, or just a coincidence, but every time i use mine at a trade show, I get issued a new card. Only time it ever happens.
 
Craig Miller":3s32v9ih said:
I don't understand how they got it before you had even activated it.
Only way I can think of is in the mail someone getting it before it was delivered.
 
They got me 3 weeks ago. 300 in health shakes from California. I can see why that threw a flag on my card.
 
littletom":jpvuiopt said:
They got me 3 weeks ago. 300 in health shakes from California. I can see why that threw a flag on my card.

Yeah if they see a charge on mine from California that should throw up a big flag too. I have lots of trouble with mine due to how I travel around. Me along with the other guys on my crew. I don't know at the times we've left food sitting at the check out. I've got to where I carry a good amount of cash with me. Enough to eat and get back home.
 
Good reason to have more than one card. Wife had hers compromised about 10 days ago. She used it to send flowers to her mom for mothers day. Just a while later I had an email from the card asking about some transactions. They had tried 4 transactions worth about $2000, all were declined by the company except the first one for 87 cents.
 
1982vett":2dspwpj7 said:
Good reason to have more than one card. Wife had hers compromised about 10 days ago. She used it to send flowers to her mom for mothers day. Just a while later I had an email from the card asking about some transactions. They had tried 4 transactions worth about $2000, all were declined by the company except the first one for 87 cents.

Come to think of it, the last thing I used the card for was to buy my mother some flowers. Also, they made three $1.00 charges up front before they tried the bigger one in Ireland.

From the sound of it, this thing is rampant so who eats the lost money? Does the card company eat it or do they go back to the business that charged the money?

Craig Miller":2dspwpj7 said:
I don't understand how they got it before you had even activated it.

I had actually activated the card but it had only been activated for less than 15 hours. That's what blows my mind. It is almost as if they got it via the mail or maybe someone hacked the card company itself. I don't know. Its weird and its definitely above my pay grade.
 
We got a call from our CC co. a coupe of weeks ago. They wanted to know if we had tired to purchase a $6 item at some distant location. They called us within 2 hrs of the attempted transaction. We were both at home and had not been anywhere and not used a CC that day.

They canceled the card and sent new ones.

The CC security dept. indicated they have some kind of software that kicks out "something" that clues them in to a false purchase. They also said they start with a small purchase to see if it goes through, then purchase higher cost items.

I don't know for sure, but I think they have some software that informs them of the zip code of purchases. When the zip code varies over a particular time period it sets off their notification. Then then call to confirm your location.
 
This is some crazy stuff and I suspect it will only get worse. My wife has a friend who works for the state and her debit card was hacked and they took all her money and she had just received her month's paycheck. She said the bank was working with her on it but it might take 90 days before they could come to some resolution because they had to put some things on hold or something.
 
As a side note: One thing I read as a caution a while back is that if the credit card company calls you or emails you asking about a possible fraud, never respond to that email or give them any info on the phone. Instead, go get your card and call the number on the back to see if there's a problem. (One scam is calling you to tell you there's a problem, then fishing info out of you). I know that didn't happen here but just something to keep in mind.
I hate these scammers. A literal pox on all their houses.
 
Craig Miller":jpfu0cm8 said:
I don't understand how they got it before you had even activated it.

Exact same thing just happened to my mother. $330 charge from London, UK on old card and $600 charge on new card before it even got here.
 
Aaron":5mfo33hd said:
Craig Miller":5mfo33hd said:
I don't understand how they got it before you had even activated it.

Exact same thing just happened to my mother. $330 charge from London, UK on old card and $600 charge on new card before it even got here.

It would seem to me the only way this could happen is if they hacked into the card company's computers but again, this is above my understanding of how things work.
 
I never put my credit cards or bank account info into any computer. Including my on. A hacker could go through all my devices and would find nothing. If I want to buy something online I call the 800 number.
I understand their is still a computer involved , but it's not mine. And that does make a difference.
I also have mail delivered to a locked po box.
I don't open unknown emails.

If you want to steal from me. I want you to have to look me in the eyes.
 
A lot (or most) of this takes place by people placing scimmers near/in machines that take credit cards, like gas pumps or vending machines. The skimmers read the card info and the hackers use that to make purchases and sometimes to create new accounts with their own address. Hackers don't break into our computers, they break into the systems of the vendors and steal info from them.
 
I have had my credit card numbers stolen on several occasions. I PITA for sure to but I didn't have to pay for any disputed charges. In 17 years in the hotel business, I have never had someone try and reserve hotel rooms with a stolen card. When my card numbers were stolen, the people used my card to buy airline tickets and hotel rooms....
 
callmefence":2r8drfeu said:
I never put my credit cards or bank account info into any computer. Including my on. A hacker could go through all my devices and would find nothing. If I want to buy something online I call the 800 number.
I understand their is still a computer involved , but it's not mine. And that does make a difference.
I also have mail delivered to a locked po box.
I don't open unknown emails.

If you want to steal from me. I want you to have to look me in the eyes.

My credit card got hacked for $28k to San Palo Brazil in 1987. We didn't have a computer in the house till 2003 so I don't know. We get hacked 4 or 5 times a year now. The more you travel the worse it is.
Using a Debt card is what worries me, that's your money not credit. I like dealing in cash.
 

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