Another Victim of CC Fraud

[c.chalie]

i keep telling people to get a pre-paid card and only load the amount needed, but yet people dont want to listen....

im sorry this happins but the best way to not get ripped off is to do it this way....

 

[Big Screen D]

Why not name the vendor so other people can prevent themselves from being similarly victimized?

Well, in my case, it could have been any one of four IF the breach occurred in the past month. Could have happened in a restaurant as well. It's also possible the number was stolen months ago, and they sat on it for awhile.

I have a new card coming I'll only use for e-cig supplies, and will monitor it closely.

IMO it would be libelous to make a claim that a specific vendor has been compromised without absolute proof the fraud occurred through use of that specific vendor. Likely, the problem is vendors are having to use secondary CC processors due to the e-cig paranoia issue, and it's actually the processor where the breach has/had occurred.

 

[Big Screen D]

i keep telling people to get a pre-paid card and only load the amount needed, but yet people dont want to listen....

im sorry this happins but the best way to not get ripped off is to do it this way....

Either way, one has to hassle with correcting the problem. I rather the CC issuer to have to retrieve THEIR money, rather than MY money already paid into a prepaid card.

 

[79Silo]

i do purchase using a debit card. But i call the bank and request if a purchase had been done, i need a notification. if i feel i didnt purchase that they mention that they can cancel it right away. Fingers cross i had never had a case before. hopefully not ..

 

[dragonlover]

I had the same thing happen to me a few months ago but I'm not so sure it's "online" purchases. Someone I work with who never shops online also had her debit card hacked--there was a security breach at one time and a lot of CC processors were affected-not just online or vape supply stores. I now just get a prepaid card from my bank once a month and pretty much use it all up within a day or two. That way as well I also have to REALLY want or need something before I use it--not as much impulse buying anymore.

 

[Crockett2012]

Thanks for posting this. I haven't had that problem (yet), but I stopped using my atm card for internet purchases because of this post and I really appreciate the warning. Over the years I've had a few fraudulent encounters with my cards but the credit card agencies were pretty good about it. I would think they spend a lot of time figuring out these things, fortunately.

I've had a real problem because my credit card provider raised my credit limit from something like $500 (great for Internet usage) to a whopping $5000 (or, perhaps, more.)

They never asked me if I wanted to raise my credit card limit, or not. They, apparently, just wanted me to spend, spend, spend.

I'm not interested in having a credit card with that high of a limit. I stopped using it, entirely. When it expired just recently, they didn't even bother to send me a new card. So, now I having nothing but my debit card

 

[gordong11]

The idea that one cant use a debit card is rediculous, but reality. very sad. I have been buying online since it's invesntion and never a problem until vaping sites

 

[Wackyjak]

My first vaping order went in on a Thursday afternoon. Friday morning I got an e-mail from my bank with the last five actions on that card asking me which ones weren't mine. There were two out of the country actions for 24.00. I clicked, they called me 2 min. later. Card was canceled and I was never charged for those two transactions. (amazon uk) I was lucky. I sent a mail to the supplier. They said they used a service and had no card records on there end but they would check it.

 

[Agfadoc]

I have been hacked through Paypal about 7 years ago.. they charged $2,400 and drained my bank account on payday. They always wait for paydays.. Thursdays and Fridays. I was travelling at the time and I felt violated. The wife called me and asked what the hell I bought on Ebay for $2400... Paypal was useless in helping me get the guy who hacked me, they would tell me nothing, so don't expect Paypal to be there for you. They absolutely will not be. Thank goodness my bank was able to return my money but I had to fight for it....and it took time. All the bill that were due had to be called and told the situation, some would waive the late fee's, others could care less.. Pay me....I mean, the paranoia after that was like I was raped. I don't want to minimize rape, but man.. I felt insecure about every computer in the house, and bitter towards Paypal. Never used them again.

I thought that these internet vendors don't even see your credit card number, they see XXXX1234 but aren't they authorized through their processing services? if that is the case, then I am thinking a rouge employee may be at the processing service, but I don't know for sure.

I do know this. Take precautions when buying on line. ONLY buy from reputable vendors, and use some of the tricks already spelled out, save yourself the hassle and the hatred towards your fellow man. I know if I caught the guy, I would have him mounted and hung on the trophy wall.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2

 

[gordong11]

Thae scary part is I have only bought from well known vendors, I don't want to list them but certainly places everyone has heard of.

 

[Agfadoc]

Can you tell us who the vendors used? ie.. Geotrust or whoever they list as their trust provider if they do at all?

 

[gordong11]

I'm sorry it's not fair to post businesses names unless 100% sure, but they all were supposedly "trusted" or similar certification. I think its a bad employee stealing numbers, not the website. It's virtually impossible to get CC info from a website, they are all encrypted as well. It would take a hacker with huge sophistication. Its way more likely of an inside job so to speak.

Ask the shop before purchasing if CC info is processed online or in store, if online: this is much more safe. if in house: someone is manually processing the info at a later time through quickbooks or a cc machine

 

[Andyhrn]

Posts:
21

I have been hacked through Paypal about 7 years ago.. they charged $2,400 and drained my bank account on payday. They always wait for paydays."

Now PPl alert instantly via E-mail about any transaction from the account and will not allowed the purchase if the address is different on the file. Use low limit credit card and not a direct bank account with PPL.

 

[OnnaB]

A couple of months ago, my GF used an ATM at a convenience store. The bank sent us an e-mail saying we were overdrawn 2 days later. We KNEW we had over $200 in the account. We looked at our account and found 2 withdrawals from ATM's in Illinois!!! We live in GA! The transactions were the same night she went to the ATM at that store. We called the bank and told them. We had to have had our card "skimmed" because they said a card was used at the Illinois location. We still had our cards. After an investigation, the bank did give our money back.
Look up Card Skimmers......you won't ever want to use an ATM again. (Around here, the police have been finding skimmers inside gas pump readers!!!)

 

[gordong11]

I bought a re-loadable "Online Shopping" Card from green dot at walgreens. No fee at purchase(usually around $5), and they guarantee your money, as long as they notified quickly, whatever that means. I have it so my balance is texted to me daily or changes. $5 mothnly fee waived if deposit $1k or make x amount of purchases. I figured can't go wrong. It says maximum liability is $50 if notify green dot within 2 days of theft, but balance texted daily, so seems ok

Added: they mail you a personalized card with your name on it and pin number once registered. To me this is much better than using a bank card and easy to reload. The fees are well worth it IMHO

 

[Iffy]

Sure wish folk would quit blaming the vendors! It's da processing centers!!!

The only thing the vendors are guilty of is using said processing centers...

Follow the financial news and you'll find that the hacking reports here follow the hacking reports there!

 

[gordong11]

Sure wish folk would quit blaming the vendors! It's da processing centers!!!

The only thing the vendors are guilty of is using said processing centers...

Follow the financial news and you'll find that the hacking reports here follow the hacking reports there!

IT very well could be, thats why i didn't list any names of vendors that I shopped at, it's not fair. Besides, think of how many people on this site who haven't had any problems...like 99.9%. Its safe to shop online for the most part, there are excpetions here and there, but for the most part i feel safe, just dont want to use my bank card anymore. This being said I wish vendors would make security a higher priority instead of canned protection, sort of go the extra mile.

 

[joey16]

Getting ready for week 3 of test ! Eating like a mad man !

 

[RayN]

Yup, I too was a victim of Credit Card Fraud recently. I was contacted by my credit card company about a large transaction that was not authorized by me.

I had only used this credit card 3 times this month, last purchase before that was over a year ago.
And guess what?
None of those transactions were with e-cig businesses.
Credit Card fraud is rampant, it's not just about e-cig businesses. The places I used the card were all big name, well respected businesses. It happens.
There is always a risk associated with online transactions. Best advice, never use a debit card online. Credit cards can only be run up to the credit limit. The fraud investigation freezes the amount on the bill from it. A debit card they actually get your money and you have to get it back. Can be a major deal if you need things like food and gas etc.

 

[Poeia]

Unless the company you bought from was a scam, it was the processing company, not the vendor. As you received the items you ordered, it's not a scam.

All of the processing companies are vulnerable but some have a better security record than others. The reason for contacting your vaping vendor is not because they did anything wrong -- they didn't. It's to let them know that they may need to find a more secure processing service.

If I were a vendor and I got one e-mail from a customer saying "one of my credit card purchases was hacked and, while I don't know which vendor's processing service was involved, I wanted them to be aware of a possible problem" I would thank the person for the info and file it. If I got 5 such e-mails, I would contact my processing service to have them investigate. If I got 10, I'd change services immediately.

It's also hard for the vendors because they are selling e-cigarettes. Some of the processing services won't accept them as clients. And, because most of them are small businesses, they don't have a lot of clout.