Stolen debit card

[dreadnut]

Some dirty rotten bass turds stole my debit card electronically, and the last 2 days have been living hell trying to fend off all the charges. Ugh!

 

[DrumBob]

It's happened to us at least three times. Your CC companies shouldn't hold you responsible for fraudulent charges.

 

[Boneman]

Ugh that is annoying, I hate freaking thieves, there is nothing worse. Had someone get my number once, think I traced it back to a bar I was recently at. Since the advent of identity theft I've been shredding everything. My wife thinks I'm OCD but I even shred all my junk mail with my name and address, especially credit card offers with preprinted applications.

 

[silverfox103]

Your CC companies shouldn't hold you responsible for fraudulent charges.

Credit card and debit are two different things. With a credit card, the company will make it right. With a debit card, not so much.

Tom

 

[Midnight Toker]

They got me once with that little black stick on card reader they put on top of the card readers at the gas pump. Then they use hidden cameras to watch you punch in your pin. Luckily, my bank was right on top of it and called me to ask if I had just made X purchase. They saw that I had just used the card in Md, and then there was an online out of state purchase moments later from an ISP/device not associated w/ my banking, and they jumped right on it. It was resolved w/ no loss (and hopefully some arrests!!) I stay pretty diligent about transferring from savings to checking only what might need in the coming days, that way I can't ever get cleaned out of any more than is in my checking account.

 

[GGJaguar]

I've been shredding everything

Yup, me too.

 

[Guildedagain]

It's not paranoia if they're out to get you, and they are.

 

[Teleguy61]

It's not paranoia if they're out to get you, and they are.

This is too true.

 

[dreadnut]

I am going stark raving bonkers trying to actually talk to someone at Google or Paypal.

Ain't gonna happen.

I need to find a scam like this - sell a service then refuse to talk to your customers.

 

[HeyMikey]

I never use a debit card to make payments. It doesn’t have the same protection as credit cards. I only use it for withdrawing cash from my bank , and it has a low daily limit.

 

[GAD]

Here in NJ where you can't pump your own gas, it's common for the attendant to clone the card. Sadly here in the US it's also common at restaurants since we often hand our cards over and they walk away with them. When I was in Europe everywhere I went they brought a portable card reader to the table and did it right in front of you, which is better.

Debit cards really depend on the bank. I got mine cloned somewhere and TD Bank covered everything. I had to go through every charge and confirm/deny it, but they were pretty great about it all. The crazy thing is that I'm nutty about my debit card and have a dedicated account for it. I only put money in that account when I need it, and I just happened to have put $2k in it that morning. They even commented on that as they could see that was a pattern for me.

 

[HeyMikey]

I do the same GAD in that I have a dedicated account for the debit card with a limited amount of money in it.

 

[DrumBob]

Credit card and debit are two different things. With a credit card, the company will make it right. With a debit card, not so much.

Tom

Not so in our case. Our bank absolved us of all fraudulent charges. Maybe you shouldn't generalize about all debit cards when you don't know for sure.

 

[fronobulax]

Credit card and debit are two different things. With a credit card, the company will make it right. With a debit card, not so much.

Tom

Depends upon the institution. At one point the consumer protection was stronger on credit cards but for the most part the only significant difference in fraud protection and remediation is what happens while the fraud is being resolved. A credit card company does not make you pay so you are not out any real money. A debit card has taken your money and it is not immediately reimbursed so there will be a few days when you don't have access to your money.

In the days when the protections were different I just set my debit card up so that it could not be used for purchases, only at ATMs. I just use a credit card for everything and between cash back and "the float" I actually make a few cents compared to using a debit card (or check).

Good luck in getting things resolved.

 

[davismanLV]

As some have said, I don't keep much money in my debit card account, although there is a bit. The rest is credit cards. And they're pretty good. But my bank was great when I got gas (as MT said, that's when you really have trouble) and then someone tried to get $100 in cash and buy gas and my bank sent me a message, "Are you buying gas again on the other side of town and need cash??" I said no, and it was DONE! These days I get gas at Sam's Club because it's cheaper and then use my card (member/credit) to log in and charge to the card. No problem. Going to independent (non-club) gas places it always risky.....

But these days are just risky and awful. Back when I was working, it was better because I always had cash (waiter) and paid for that stuff in cash. Only since retirement is it a problem. New world problems.... convenience = eff you!!

 

[Midnight Toker]

As some have said, I don't keep much money in my debit card account, although there is a bit. The rest is credit cards. And they're pretty good. But my bank was great when I got gas (as MT said, that's when you really have trouble) and then someone tried to get $100 in cash and buy gas and my bank sent me a message, "Are you buying gas again on the other side of town and need cash??" I said no, and it was DONE! These days I get gas at Sam's Club because it's cheaper and then use my card (member/credit) to log in and charge to the card. No problem. Going to independent (non-club) gas places it always risky.....

But these days are just risky and awful. Back when I was working, it was better because I always had cash (waiter) and paid for that stuff in cash. Only since retirement is it a problem. New world problems.... convenience = eff you!!

Yep. And there's a reason why it says "Hide your pin!" At the keypad. Ever since someone got mine once, I cover my punching in my pin w/ my free hand every time. Have had no worries since. There was even a case a few years ago near me where someone put one of those add on card readers on an outside ATM at a bank, and parked a van nearby w/ a camera w/ a high powered zoom to film people entering their pin #. Supposedly, they got a lot of people, because that same bank had a hired security guard standing outside all their locations around here for the next year! (Bank of America).

It likely pales in comparison to all the current email scams where they target seniors saying their Amazon (or banking, or countless other retailers) account has been compromised and they should enter their log in info...literally handing over the keys to your account. I get them constantly, but they all go to my junk folder which auto deletes after 7 days. My email is set up where if your not in my address book, it doesn't go in my inbox. Such an easy hands off way to weed out spam and keep a clean inbox.

 

[davismanLV]

The most common scam I'm exposed to is a phone call telling me that the credit card associated with my Amazon account is being charged $1600 for a new iPhone and will ship immediately if they don't hear from me. LOL!! Right. Those messages just get deleted, but I'm sure some people get suckered terrified they're gonna have to pay for a phone they didn't order.

Also, when doing business with anyone, first thing I do is put their phone number into my phone with the business name. That way I know when they're trying to reach me. Remember way back to the old days (way old days) when you had a landline and when someone called you'd answer the phone not even knowing who it was calling?? How crazy does that seem now? If I don't recognize the number, I don't answer. Period.

Things are surely different these days!!

 

[davismanLV]

And WAIT!!! In NJ you can't pump your own gas?? I had no idea. Why is that? Also, I'm trying to think of any gas station in recent memory here or CA that isn't self serve. How bizarre!!

 

[GAD]

The big risk these days isn’t someone watch you enter you pin - it’s skimmers: fake readers that sit over the real readers so they can grab the info on the stripe.

 

[Midnight Toker]

And WAIT!!! In NJ you can't pump your own gas?? I had no idea. Why is that? Also, I'm trying to think of any gas station in recent memory here or CA that isn't self serve. How bizarre!!

I'm sure it goes back to the days when the mob ran NJ (if they still don't??) If I remember correctly, a minor by NJ law isn't supposed to even operate a lawn mower!!