Suzanne in ABQ Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 They got online and ordered everything from iTunes songs (several charges for $1.03) to high-dollar ($2500) electronics. They ordered flowers in Spain and the UK. They ordered stuff in Haiti! They apparently gave a lot of people, all over the world, a wonderful Christmas, and they did it all on OUR credit card! Fortunately, CC company got suspicious and froze the account. After they talked to us they have canceled the account, and said we wouldn't be responsible for the fraudulent activity. This is actually the second time this has happened to us (first time was about 10 years ago), but the first people didn't charge nearly this much money. It's incredible the amount of money they managed to spend in two days (over $5000, I think). We have our credit cards in our possession, and have no idea how our number got out. I wonder if they can catch people who do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 Ewwwww. bummer....sorry:-( Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesa Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 Thats sooo scary. I think I'll put in a call to our cc company to make sure they have our current phone number.... just in case they ever need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 our cc number was stolen, about a week and a half before christmas. A few days before, dh noticed 2 small charges in NZ and called the cc company and reported it as fraudulent. 2 days later, dh went online to check our activity and the account was locked with a message to call. Someone had charged 15,000$ to a plumbing company, and there were other smaller charges. Yikes! They closed the account, we are still waiting for our new card...grr. This has never happened to us, it is a strange feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 There are readers that can be used to read your card - there was a gas station "ring" in Orlando that had them. DH said in Tampa there was a CC gang busted - they had produced over 100,000 fake CCs and shared the numbers. It's big, serious business. Apple requires the 3 digit number on the back of your card - and they ask for an approval for a small amount (i'm thinking it was the $1.03 amount on mine) to validate the card. That worries me more. Did you never not have your card in your possession? Desparate times mean desparate measures.... (and makes me really glad we just only use a pre-paid debit card - no links at all to our "real" info/money (hahahaha, we don't have any! LOL!)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blessedfamily Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 This happened a couple of weeks ago to someone's I know's cc. When she called she was told her account was frozen because of suspected fraud across the country. She asked this major cc company "Have you had a breech in security lately?" The rep answered "Yes, ma'am". They didn't even notify customers and still haven't, as far as I know! Also, my brother works for a large retail chain and was recently sent a letter that a laptop was stolen with his(and other) employees personal info. Someone used his information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 They got online and ordered everything from iTunes songs (several charges for $1.03) to high-dollar ($2500) electronics. They ordered flowers in Spain and the UK. They ordered stuff in Haiti! They apparently gave a lot of people, all over the world, a wonderful Christmas, and they did it all on OUR credit card! Fortunately, CC company got suspicious and froze the account. After they talked to us they have canceled the account, and said we wouldn't be responsible for the fraudulent activity. This is actually the second time this has happened to us (first time was about 10 years ago), but the first people didn't charge nearly this much money. It's incredible the amount of money they managed to spend in two days (over $5000, I think). We have our credit cards in our possession, and have no idea how our number got out. I wonder if they can catch people who do this. I'm so sorry this has happened to you. We had the same thing happen a few years back. We had a slight idea of who it might have been, but no real evidence, so the CC company said that there was pretty much nothing they could do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritAnnia Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 (edited) We had a similar thing happen a few years ago. Our card never was stolen but a few thousand $$ charges were made on it in Rhode Island. The CC company notified us of suspicious card activity just a day or so after the charges were made and all we had to do, aside from worry ;) was sign an affidavit that we had not made those charges. The CC company handled everything else. Edited December 27, 2008 by BritAnnia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 This happened a couple of weeks ago to someone's I know's cc. When she called she was told her account was frozen because of suspected fraud across the country. She asked this major cc company "Have you had a breech in security lately?" The rep answered "Yes, ma'am". They didn't even notify customers and still haven't, as far as I know! Also, my brother works for a large retail chain and was recently sent a letter that a laptop was stolen with his(and other) employees personal info. Someone used his information. Yup - that is my real guess as to what happen... stolen on the other end. The source. Then sold around online.... :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 I'm sorry that happened! That is a large amount for our family. I had only $99.43 of fraudulent activity on my cc about 8 years ago. I realized then that as much as I hated that happening it could have been much higher. How do people get numbers? Take a look at what we've learned along the way and from others: 1. In grocery store checkout, the clerk blurts out drivers license number as they put on check. The next person in line can hear and remember. And, the clerk is the one who is supposed to write it on the check. 2. That person next to you in line has a mobile phone/camera and can take a picture, from a distance, of your drivers license, check, etc. 3. Mail left in mailbox may have been stolen, ingoing or outgoing. Steam open the mail and...... 4. Trash......shred everything with any identifiable info. on it. Even promo offers. I'm sure there's more to add to the list. It's very sad that we live in a society with these problems. Most people are good. They got online and ordered everything from iTunes songs (several charges for $1.03) to high-dollar ($2500) electronics. They ordered flowers in Spain and the UK. They ordered stuff in Haiti! They apparently gave a lot of people, all over the world, a wonderful Christmas, and they did it all on OUR credit card! Fortunately, CC company got suspicious and froze the account. After they talked to us they have canceled the account, and said we wouldn't be responsible for the fraudulent activity. This is actually the second time this has happened to us (first time was about 10 years ago), but the first people didn't charge nearly this much money. It's incredible the amount of money they managed to spend in two days (over $5000, I think). We have our credit cards in our possession, and have no idea how our number got out. I wonder if they can catch people who do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 She asked this major cc company "Have you had a breech in security lately?" The rep answered "Yes, ma'am". They didn't even notify customers and still haven't, as far as I know! This happened to me once. The credit card company picked up on a fraud going around and did alert me, but they only alert you (to my knowledge), if they actually have to change your credit card #/shut down your account. These sorts of things are not personal, in that they don't know who you are. The customer service rep just indicated that these thieves have some sort of way of trying all sorts of credit card #s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 Scary, I'm glad you aren't responsible or fighting to prove your not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Youngs Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 Wow, that's awful. Thank goodness that you aren't going to have to pay for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 I'm so sorry you went through this. :grouphug: Anyway, this happened to us the week before Christmas. Wonderful timing! In our case we really got lucky. Someone in London appeared to have tried our card to see if it worked. Our credit card company picked up on this IMMEDIATELY (within minutes?) and we cancelled the account. Amazing! One system these thieves use is to try a card number for something small. They may even cancel the charge once they know it works and then they go for something really big. In our case, the credit card company picked up on the small charge that was made ($10) and then cancelled. I have so much sympathy for you. I'm sure it will work out well, but the AGGRAVATION! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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