Credit card fraud

[WhenIsItTime]

We use our CC’s for everything, pay promptly and enjoy cash back. Twice in 30 days my main card has been compromised for fraud. Provider said it’s a risk when you use CC at gas pumps and online (thanks for the help!). It’s a big pain to change auto-payments.

How often does this happen to you?

[Dtail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhenIsItTime We use our CC’s for everything, pay promptly and enjoy cash back. Twice in 30 days my main card has been compromised for fraud. Provider said it’s a risk when you use CC at gas pumps and online (thanks for the help!). It’s a big pain to change auto-payments. How often does this happen to you?

Once in awhile for me.
What we do is have a separate CC just for auto payments.

[Chuckanut]

Look at Capital One's ENO service. Each auto-payment company gets a unique CC number. No need to change them all. 1.5% cashback on the card.

[Walt34]

We've (so far) only had it happen once about 20 years ago and easily resolved by writing a letter. For the stuff that is on auto-pay I only use one CC for that and it stays in a drawer and is used for nothing else.

[swakyaby]

I followed the advice of some members here who keep a credit card at home for all the auto-pay accounts. So if my wallet ever gets stolen, at least I don't have to deal with switching those accounts.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhenIsItTime We use our CC’s for everything, pay promptly and enjoy cash back. Twice in 30 days my main card has been compromised for fraud. Provider said it’s a risk when you use CC at gas pumps and online (thanks for the help!). It’s a big pain to change auto-payments. How often does this happen to you?

I generally use PayPal for online orders, except for Amazon, and ApplePay if it’s an option online.

I’ve started to see contactless gas pumps so I’ll start using that when I can, although we buy most of our gas at Costco.

I have several backup cards because I’m always expecting a compromise, even though it’s been quite a while.

Auto payments are on separate cards from what I carry I
in my wallet or use for online purchases.

[brett]

We use credit cards for everything. We do a fair amount of international travel each year.

We have had our credit card compromised three times in the last ten years or so. Each time it was always at home, never overseas.

I think the chances are always good. The news is full of retail sites being hacked for credit card data. Most places, especially in Europe, bring a hand held unit to you in order to input the pin. Or they have a unit by the desk. We like to keep our cards within our line of sight at all times.

[Kwirk]

Last year a taxi driver in Santiago, Chile told us that our Costco Visa (Citibank) chip card had been rejected. So, we paid $40 US cash. What we didn't know until a day later was that he had actually charged 998,000 Chilean pesos (~$1300.00) to our account with no signature or, obviously, PIN. We reported the fraud as soon as we were aware. There is no address or phone number associated with the charge. A web search for the charging company turns up nothing.

Citibank has refused to recognize the rather obvious fraud and is refusing to cover the charge without offering evidence or explanation. As best we can tell is that they are refusing because the chip shows that the card was present. Our next step seems to be arbitration.

[savory]

We use the Cap 1 virtual card for online purchases and/or paypal.

But don't you think USA credit card companies would provide a pin like they do outside of the USA and on debit cards. At least provide the option for those of us who want it.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwirk Last year a taxi driver in Santiago, Chile told us that our Costco Visa (Citibank) chip card had been rejected. So, we paid $40 US cash. What we didn't know until a day later was that he had actually charged 998,000 Chilean pesos (~$1300.00) to our account with no signature or, obviously, PIN. We reported the fraud as soon as we were aware.

Santiago taxis are notorious for fraud. Look at tripadvisor.com or other travel websites and you'll see loads of warnings about them. Particularly at the airport when you're trying to get to your hotel. You'll have a driver come up to you holding a sign saying he is an "official airport taxi" and try to grab your bag and get you into his cab. If he succeeds at that, there are at least half a dozen different scams he can pull, some of them really sneaky.

If you go there, just order a taxi at one of the desks in the baggage claim area (Delfos or Transvip) and you'll be fine. It will cost less than the roaming "official" cabs, and is completely safe.

[Sunset]

I recently had my Menard's card used in another State for over $1K worth of stuff at a gas station
I had the card all the time, they got the number from a database (I never used it at a gas station).

I have largely moved to the "use 1 CC for autopay items and use others for purchases."

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davef But don't you think USA credit card companies would provide a pin like they do outside of the USA and on debit cards. At least provide the option for those of us who want it.

This is why many of us have the MasterCard from First Tech Credit Union.
It's almost the only one that operates on PIN priority (instead of signature) like European cards do.

[WhenIsItTime]

Thanks for replies. We operate with 2 cards: Discover and a Visa that has 1.75% cash back. Looks like I need to add 1 for auto-pay as I can’t give up the rebate. Not crazy about a 3rd to track.

[Kwirk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister Santiago taxis are notorious for fraud.

That is pretty much what happened. We had arranged with our hotel to be met by a driver. But, there was no driver to meet us. We were "helped" by Tourist Assistance reps (a complete fraud group with badges and good English). We hadn't done any real research on airport transportation because we thought we had it covered. Our otherwise high quality boutique hotel didn't seem surprised (and I'm suspicious that they may have had some involvement). It was also surprising that we never got the usual text alerts for the charge.

So, now we have to be concerned every time we hand our card to a waiter, clerk, or driver less they have a side-line business or run next door with our card for a little shopping.

Be careful out there.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister This is why many of us have the MasterCard from First Tech Credit Union. It's almost the only one that operates on PIN priority (instead of signature) like European cards do.

Yeah, but we hardly need it anymore because so may places take ApplePay.

[CaliKid]

It's at least once a year for us but about 2 years ago it happened 3 times within a few months. That sucked. It's life. I keep a list of my autopays and just go through the list and update them when it happens. Not a big deal at this point after doing it so many times. However, can NEVER remember how to change USAA insurance. 15 autopays and it's the only one that I find difficult.

[oscar1]

You could set up an auto magic deposit to a 2nd big bank account (Separate from your primary debit/checking bank) on a weekly or monthly basis and then let all your auto-pays draw from that bank account (banks typically have better security). Sort of a way to keep the crooks away from your primary cookie jar and limit exposure. Yes, I know, another 1099 at tax time.

[njhowie]

Happens once or twice a year - always with Visa, never with Discover.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by njhowie Happens once or twice a year - always with Visa, never with Discover.

Thats because even the crooks know hardly anyone takes Discover

[rk911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhenIsItTime We use our CC’s for everything, pay promptly and enjoy cash back. Twice in 30 days my main card has been compromised for fraud. Provider said it’s a risk when you use CC at gas pumps and online (thanks for the help!). It’s a big pain to change auto-payments. How often does this happen to you?

2 or 3 times in the last half-dozen years and just once before that about 25-yrs ago. i’ve now enabled an alert for any transaction > $1. our monthly auto debits are from our checking acct for that very reason. bedn doing the ACH debits from checking almost from the day they were offered.