Credit card fraud

[Alan]

After my CC was cloned in the summer, when I got my new card I scratched off the CVC code. I don't know if this tactic would have saved it from being cloned, since after it was cloned all the purchases were made in person at various stores 2,000 miles from where I live.

Still, having no visible CVC code on the card makes me feel just a little safer.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG Don't know, never been asked for it other than online. My AMEX from Fidelity frequently ask me to enter my zip code. MRG

Yeah - I like that billing address check - very clever.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Yeah - I like that billing address check - very clever.

+1

My Amex often asks for a zipcode as well. I wouldn't mind if it did so all the time.

[Chuckanut]

Here we go again?

Quote:

Multiple sources in the banking industry say they are tracking a pattern of fraud on cards that were all recently used at Irving, Texas-based Michaels Stores, an arts-and-crafts retailer that has more than 1,100 stores in the United States and Canada.

Sources: Card Breach at Michaels Stores — Krebs on Security

In case your idea of living below your means is different than mine

Quote:

Earlier this week, Neiman Marcus revealed that the breach at its stores extended from July 16, 2013 to Oct. 30, 2013, and may have impacted more than 1.1 million customer cards.

[Alan]

We went to our usual Walmart today and at the checkout I swiped my Penfed CHIP & PIN card as usual and the clerk said, "it looks like you have a CHIP card, you need to push it into the slot at the bottom". I did so and after reading my card up popped the usual signature box. So, I know that the CHIP works, and that our Walmart has now upgraded to CHIP & Signature and insists on using the CHIP for authorization even though the card still has a magnetic stripe which I've used everywhere else to date.

I guess I'll find out in 10 days or so if the PIN works when we go to Canada.

All in all it was a successful morning as we stopped into Walmart on the way back from the airport having had our interviews for the Global Entry / Trusted Traveler program. The emails confirming our approval were waiting for us when got home. Something else to try out on our upcoming flights

[kcowan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan I guess I'll find out in 10 days or so if the PIN works when we go to Canada.

If you want to use an ATM, I know that HSBC works with CHIP cards here in Mexico so should work in Canada.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcowan If you want to use an ATM, I know that HSBC works with CHIP cards here in Mexico so should work in Canada.

Good to know - thanks.

[kcowan]

Also, some retailers (e.g. restaurants) will ask you to go to their cash to enter your PIN. Not a big problem in Canada, mostly smaller/independents.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan We went to our usual Walmart today and at the checkout I swiped my Penfed CHIP & PIN card as usual and the clerk said, "it looks like you have a CHIP card, you need to push it into the slot at the bottom". I did so and after reading my card up popped the usual signature box. So, I know that the CHIP works, and that our Walmart has now upgraded to CHIP & Signature and insists on using the CHIP for authorization even though the card still has a magnetic stripe which I've used everywhere else to date. I guess I'll find out in 10 days or so if the PIN works when we go to Canada. All in all it was a successful morning as we stopped into Walmart on the way back from the airport having had our interviews for the Global Entry / Trusted Traveler program. The emails confirming our approval were waiting for us when got home. Something else to try out on our upcoming flights

We got our Penfed chip and pin cards this week. I had read that many Walmarts now require you to insert a chip card in a slot rather than swipe. But they don't seem to ask for the pin, so it's only a partial test.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcowan If you want to use an ATM, I know that HSBC works with CHIP cards here in Mexico so should work in Canada.

But I don't think you want to use a credit card at an ATM as cash advances generate high fees and interest charges.

Although I've used ATMs just to check pins on credit cards - doing some type of inquiry.

[kcowan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 But I don't think you want to use a credit card at an ATM as cash advances generate high fees and interest charges...

I am assuming that their technology would be the same on their merchant readers. Also if you keep a credit balance on the CC, then the fees are comparable to debit cards: 2.5% FX fee but no Plus fee. I found that this was necessary in Turkey and Switzerland. Croatia was no problem for Canadian Interac/Plus. Amazon Visa does not charge the 2.5%. YMMV

[Chuckanut]

Apparently the PF Chang's breach of security started in September of 2013 according to Krebs. If he is right the bad guys were getting credit card information for about nine months.

Also, according to Krebs, PF Chang's has recently switched back to the old knuckle buster credit card imprinters that make a carbon copy of the transaction. Can Anybody Verify This?

[Chuckanut]

Here's an interesting interview with Brian Krebs, the guy who blew the whistle on the Target credit card breach.

brian krebs : NPR

[Chuckanut]

It looks like another CC fraud problem. Same old, same old.

Report: Home Depot Victim Of Same Malware Used In Target Hack – Consumerist

[ziggy29]

Yeah. I like the 1-2% cash back and the convenience of using plastic (paying off each month, of course), but it's getting old. I don't really worry that I'll be on the hook for fraudulent uses, but the inconvenience of dealing with new card numbers each time you are compromised can suck, especially if you are on autopay plans.

A few months ago, church council authorized for DW to get a debit card for church purchases instead of dealing with buying stuff on our own cards, keeping receipts and waiting for reimbursements.

A few weeks ago her card got compromised somewhere, presumably at some merchant, and after that the council decided to just cancel the card and do it the old way. We do get 1-2% cash back as "free money" but the reimbursement is a hassle. Still, the problem is that the banks won't issue a credit card to an organization unless someone signs for personal financial responsibility, which no one wanted to do. So it was debit or nothing.

But now we're back to keeping receipts, batching them up and getting a reimbursement check from the treasurer every month or two.

[mpeirce]

I think we'll solve this problem in the next few years.

Since we "all" (I know, it's not 100%, still...) carry around smart phones that have handy little cryptographic computers built into them, we'll end up using these handy devices to generate one-of encrypted tokens to make a "credit card" transaction. It'll be more convenient than chip cards and way more secure too.

I expect we'll know more about how this might all work tomorrow...

[BellBarbara]

We just found unauthorized charges on my hub's card - he uses it at Home Depot. So he called and they canceled the card. He was able to stop 2 of the 3 "orders" by calling the vendors and telling them it was fraud.

[meierlde]

My shell master card asks for a zip code except when I am in my home town. Since the town has just one zip code, it would be an obvious guess so no point in asking.

[Sue J]

Not related to Home Depot but last month I got a fraud alert call on my Dad's charge card. I'm his POA and I had put my phone number in his profile as the contact number since he doesn't answer his phone. My sister is an authorized signer so that she can buy him things that his assisted living facility doesn't provide. But the fraud alert people would not talk to me because I had never sent in the POA papers, I had just been monitoring his account online and paying the bill.

This was a big hassle because they wanted the POA papers faxed in before they would talk to me. I told them I don't have a fax, can't I email them in? No they must be faxed. I finally got them to give me a mailing address and I snail mailed them in and after about 2 weeks it all got processed and they would talk to me. In the meantime my sister had to pay for Dad's things herself and I would reimburse her. I kept checking the account online and no transactions showed up but the billing address was changed from my home address to an address in Las Vegas, NV. Very weird.

It was all resolved by closing the account and getting new cards issued. Big hassle and I never did find out what caused the fraud alert.

[Chuckanut]

I have had the same card reissued to me twice this year with a new account number due to criminals stealing my CC information from stores I did business with.

Today, I get an e-mail from Home Depot telling me:

Quote:

The Home Depot has discovered that a file containing your email address may have been taken during the payment card breach we announced in September.

The email salutation was to "Valued Customer" and it was signed by "The Home Depot".