Credit Card Fraud

[CDRODA396]

So I get home today and am going through my answering machine messages, it seems that the last person who had this number owes a lot of people money, so I am deleting most of them, then I get one from some business called CDW regarding my order?

I call them and have to leave a message, so I mention I dont have a clue who CDW is, and am sure I havent ordered anything from them. Almost immediately I get a call back and the guy says someone just tried to order a $2143.00 Sony computer using my name, correct address, credit card # and a phone number that was correct except the last two digits. He had recently fallen prey to the same scam so it raised a red flag.

Appearantly the going way to free load is to get someone's personal information, order something using express shipping, then once shipped, call the shipper, UPS or FedEx and change the delivery information, that way the purchase is made using the correct address, but they get the merchandise. He said CDW is experiencing it in epic proportions righ now wo they are scrutinizing every online credit card purchase that they recieve.

I got over this time and immediately contacted my bank, but it riles me up like nothing I can think of. The only thing I use the da#@ card for is online ordering of gun stuff/parts/ammo, so it really pisses me off to no end.

I maintain a list of people I'd like to spend 10 minutes in a locked room with....1. Bill Gates for his "auto format" function found in MS Word, oh, the pain he's caused me over the years...yeah, you are supposed to be able to turn it off...right! 2. The guy who sold the software program "Forms Flow" to the Army...anyone on active duty with the Army the last 10 years knows exactly what I'm talking about...and now 3. This guy, or anyone else trying to use someone else's credit card because they're too da#@ lazy to work for the stuff themselves. I think I'd get my satisfaction much quicker, but 10 minutes would give me time to gloat, before walking out of the room. [Official Disclaimer. The above statement represents a fantasy wish, not an actual desire to act on, or carry out in any manner whatsoever. There is no ill will or anomosity held towards Bill Gates or anyone associated with the Micorsoft organization.]

End of Rant.

[vrmn1]

A thief is a thief is a thief!

I hate them all!

[bierman]

Its a sad fact that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country. Last year someone took one of my wife's cards on a multiple state joy ride, stopping every few hundred miles to do a cash advance for several hundred dollars. The really stupid part is that there was almost no open credit on that card, yet they were able to withdraw over $1700 in cash at banks across the Gulf States area (Texas, LA, MS, AL). Very frustrating.

[p99shooter]

Law enforcement agencies in Central California have reported that meth dealers often accept stolen identities as payment. So, tweakers steal identities to get their fix, and the dealers use the stolen ids to buy stuff. Paying for an illegal product with stolen goods!

[Joe4d]

I received a similar call, but when I called back, they wanted my credit card number so they could cancel the order and issue a refund, yeh right, get bent ! I did follow up with CC company and no order was placed. But I imagine that scheme probably worked for them a few times.

[G-ManBart]

Man, that's annoying!

I recently noted a charge on my one card that I only use for shooting supplies and it was from an online dating site! I called my card company and they credited me the amount and disputed the charge. They gave me the contact info for the dating site and I called them...sure enough someone had used my card fraudulently on their site. Who uses a card fraudulently for a $30 charge? Crazy...

[Paul B]

I recently had a similar experience with my credit card. 2 charges for only $4 each to an online dating service. The credit card company called me and I went through the drill of a new card, affidavit and all that crap, but I wonder about the $4 charge. Was somebody testing the water with the small charge or did someone simply transpose a number at the credit card company? Guess I'll never know.

[Flatland Shooter]

Had a similar deal a while back. Some company that I had never heard of charged my card to the tune of $29.95. The next month another company run by the same bozo sends in a charge for $39.95. Turns out, this company routinely runs small amounts on various cards to see if they go through. If it does, they up the ante a few bucks the following month.

Per the credit card company, the "seller" is a bona fide business that has a rather large frequency of contested charges. Its teh card company's way of saying that the guy is a crook but stays just close enough to the centerline that they cannot shut him down.

Bill

[G-ManBart]

I recently had a similar experience with my credit card. 2 charges for only $4 each to an online dating service. The credit card company called me and I went through the drill of a new card, affidavit and all that crap, but I wonder about the $4 charge. Was somebody testing the water with the small charge or did someone simply transpose a number at the credit card company? Guess I'll never know.

I wondered the same thing....I think these kinds of charges are usually a test run before they try a big charge. It's unlikely that it could be a transposed number because they'd have to get the right expiration date and the three digit code off the back of the card correct as well.

Credit card scammers, computer virus creators, malicious code creators, spyware originators, etc all deserve a slow, painful death.

[ima45dv8]

Credit card scammers, computer virus creators, malicious code creators, spyware originators, etc all deserve a slow, painful death.

It gives me some small comfort to imagine that there's a special place reserved for them in Hell. . . . . . .right between the child molesters and the televangelists.

[LPatterson]

One of my credit card providers called me about a couple of charges at Wal Mart stores in Florida because it was the day after I made a charge at a big name chain restaurant here in Montana. According to the restaurant, the wait staff just swipes the card and the full number does not show on the screen nor is it printed on the receipt. Funny but the card had not been used in the past 2 years before I bought my birthday supper.

[chuckbradley]

One of my credit card providers called me about a couple of charges at Wal Mart stores in Florida because it was the day after I made a charge at a big name chain restaurant here in Montana. According to the restaurant, the wait staff just swipes the card and the full number does not show on the screen nor is it printed on the receipt. Funny but the card had not been used in the past 2 years before I bought my birthday supper.

But that doesnt stop the waiter from clicking a couple photos of it with their cell phone.

[D.Hayden]

This is one of the reasons you'll start seeing more and more businesses bring portable card units to you.. so the card is never out of your sight..

[chuckbradley]

So I get home today and am going through my answering machine messages, it seems that the last person who had this number owes a lot of people money, so I am deleting most of them, then I get one from some business called CDW regarding my order?

I call them and have to leave a message, so I mention I dont have a clue who CDW is, and am sure I havent ordered anything from them. Almost immediately I get a call back and the guy says someone just tried to order a $2143.00 Sony computer using my name, correct address, credit card # and a phone number that was correct except the last two digits. He had recently fallen prey to the same scam so it raised a red flag.

Appearantly the going way to free load is to get someone's personal information, order something using express shipping, then once shipped, call the shipper, UPS or FedEx and change the delivery information, that way the purchase is made using the correct address, but they get the merchandise. He said CDW is experiencing it in epic proportions righ now wo they are scrutinizing every online credit card purchase that they recieve.

I got over this time and immediately contacted my bank, but it riles me up like nothing I can think of. The only thing I use the da#@ card for is online ordering of gun stuff/parts/ammo, so it really pisses me off to no end.

I maintain a list of people I'd like to spend 10 minutes in a locked room with....1. Bill Gates for his "auto format" function found in MS Word, oh, the pain he's caused me over the years...yeah, you are supposed to be able to turn it off...right! 2. The guy who sold the software program "Forms Flow" to the Army...anyone on active duty with the Army the last 10 years knows exactly what I'm talking about...and now 3. This guy, or anyone else trying to use someone else's credit card because they're too da#@ lazy to work for the stuff themselves. I think I'd get my satisfaction much quicker, but 10 minutes would give me time to gloat, before walking out of the room. [Official Disclaimer. The above statement represents a fantasy wish, not an actual desire to act on, or carry out in any manner whatsoever. There is no ill will or anomosity held towards Bill Gates or anyone associated with the Micorsoft organization.]

End of Rant.

You are scarring the crap out me. I called UPS and asked if they had a way that I could insure all my packages were delivered only to the address I sent them to. The guy I talked to didnt have a clue. He said from his perch as he talked down to me that the receiving party would have to have the original address and zip. Well duh! They are the ones that gave me the info to start with. He said he didnt know that if it was fraud I needed to call the police. I tried to explain that I wanted to prevent fraud and keep from calling the police since once you do you just lost your money. I finally told him that if their driver redirected a shipment and it was fraud that I would hold them responsible for the loss. I was put on hold and eventually hung up.

This is one way they can still get us. I will be looking for it. Thanks for letting us know.

[BritinUSA]

You are scarring the crap out me. I called UPS and asked if they had a way that I could insure all my packages were delivered only to the address I sent them to.

You would think that UPS would give you the option when shipping to specify that the receiver is not allowed to change the delivery address. If someone tries to change it they (UPS) would contact you for authorisation first. It might be worth asking for that kind of option so that the receiver would not be able to change the delivery address without YOUR approval.

[G-ManBart]

One of my credit card providers called me about a couple of charges at Wal Mart stores in Florida because it was the day after I made a charge at a big name chain restaurant here in Montana. According to the restaurant, the wait staff just swipes the card and the full number does not show on the screen nor is it printed on the receipt. Funny but the card had not been used in the past 2 years before I bought my birthday supper.

That's a pretty common scenario. Someone working in a bar or restaurant can put a portable skimmer in their pocket (as small as the smallest cell phone) and swipe your card across it before or after they charge you for the meal/drinks. Afterwards they hook the skimmer up to a computer and download the info...it's all captured from the card. They can then do online purchases all day long....b@stards. It's actually a federal crime to even posses the skimmers, but you can buy them on Ebay all you want...you can't buy bullets there, but you can buy the tools for credit card fraud...amazing.

[chuckbradley]

I just realized this is what was attempted on me and another supplier just a few weeks ago. They used all the right info and wanted it shipped to the correct address. It was a big order so I called him back to verify and got somebody totally unrelated to the order. He gave a false phone number. I have asked UPS what they are doing to insure any of my packages do not get redirected or intercepted. Waiting a reply from my rep.

[raz-0]

I recently had a similar experience with my credit card. 2 charges for only $4 each to an online dating service. The credit card company called me and I went through the drill of a new card, affidavit and all that crap, but I wonder about the $4 charge. Was somebody testing the water with the small charge or did someone simply transpose a number at the credit card company? Guess I'll never know.

Yes, that is exactly what they are doing. Someone has aquired your info, usually indirectly rather than a clerk/waiter that you handed the card to directly, and wants to see if it works. The current trend is to use micro-donations to charities to do this. A $5 charge to the united way or something similar is a lot less odd looking on a statement than 2chekcout.com or something.

If you only use your credit card to buy gun stuff, I can suggest the following tactic to avoid having it at all.

Go to mall or convenience store, and buy a visa gift card in the desired ammount of your purchase. Online you can set the billing address to anytthing you want. Use card online. This is what I do when i wnat to buy something and have it shipped someplace odd, or I want to buy something with the old piggybank money without having to go through the hassle of a doing all the math on my monthly budget, or I want t buy somethign form an online vendor who has something I want, but their website strikes me as less than secure.

You can buy the cards in cash, they work for everything but recurring charges, you can fudge the address and identity attached to them, and basically are the credit card equivalent of cash.

A close second a lot of visa bank cards offer are using the one time use card numbers. At least then if it gets ahrvested from an online vendor, you don't get screwed.