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Watch your Credit Cards/Debit Card!

Allen

Allen

Styles Editor/Admin
Staff member
Today I've had the joy of seeing my Visa debit card being locked up. Some ones had the bright idea of using it in the UK for a train ticket and 140$+ in Netherlands, I live in the US of A.... The card has a Visa logo on it and was on file at Amazon and Pay Pal. Visa, Amazon and Pay Pal were and are targets of hackers after they drop support for Wikileaks.

I'm willing to bet a small number of hackers have stopped trying to take down these sites for dropping support for Wikileaks and now are stealing card numbers. All my money is safe, I'm just out a card for 2 weeks but yours may not be...

Monday call all the the people attached to your cards and make sure your money is still there!

Allen
 
Where else have you used the card in the last week or so? A bar? A store? A garage?

A couple of years ago someone used a clone of my card to withdraw money from ATM's in Italy when it was obvious to the bank that I was still in the UK at the time. Eventually I got it all back but it's made me very careful, not about using it online but using it on the high street. I'm pretty sure I know when and where it happened and in which relatively upscale store in London when the card disappeared beneath the counter for an unreasonably long time but I can't prove it. I think it's highly unlikely that hackers were able to get hold of card details from Amazon or Paypal. Have a think about what else you have been using it for.
 
I haven't had to use it that much in person the last few weeks. I like cash beacuse of this. In the US almost all card reader you can see when they run it threw the card reader when using it as a Credit Card. So my card didn't "disappeared beneath the counter for an unreasonably long time." When it is used a Debit Card I have to run it threw the card reader on my side and put my pin in. It never leaves my hands this way.

All I know is I'll be using more cash now in town!
 
Reply...

Allen,

I understand your point. If I'm in a situation where my card actually leaves my sight, such as a restaurant, I will only use a credit card or cash, not my debit card. That way, if the waiter / waitress tries anything funny, I can always cancel the card and reverse the charges.

With debit cards, I am extremely careful. I was taught (and taught my wife) how to keep a balanced checkbook, and consequently, we have never paid an overdraft fee. We have a standing policy of always keeping at least a fifty dollar "ghost balance" that is not recorded in the checkbook to prevent any accidents, another trick my dad taught me. Also, we never make online purchases with our debit cards, for obvious safety reasons.

But just in case you're the "cash only" type, I found being a homeowner that credit is a necessary evil. We always have some credit card debt, but it's never more than one hundred to two hundred dollars on any card at one time. The cards are frequently being used, but the balance is paid down, so that it's always revolving and recycling, no money on the card is left on there for more than two months. This makes my interest payments minimal.

But back to your original point....I am checking my account balances since this whole hacking thing went down, so thank you for highlighting it. Also, make sure to check those credit card readers for any scanners or other skimming devices, including at ATMs. If possible, always try to go to a bank to get cash, the ATMs located in convenience stores are the worst for this kind of thing.
 
the card doesnt even have to leave your sight ... i dont know if you guys in the US have these, but over here we have portable card readers that the waiters bring to the table so you dont have to que at the bar etc, well theres been a few instances where they've been swaped round by thiefs in the morning then swaped back again at the end of the day .. so a whole days worth of card numbers and pins without the staff being any the wiser!

The real hustle covered it a while back and redid the scam, did try to find it on youtube but no luck.
 
Here is another thing,never run the card as debit with a pin.Always as credit,Visa has to then consider it a credit card and all bogus charges are covered,no limit,no amount you have to pay just like their Visa Credit cards.:jump:
 
My card is a Visa credit card and bank debit card. I don't have a real credit card. All this week I haven't used the card. It used Friday around 7am my time and again 10 minutes later. It was locked after that. I found out when I went to the ATM the next day.

I always have my eyes out for scanners and other skimming devices. When I get the new one I will run it as a credit card...
 
I am always on the look out for these scams and cradit card security is a small part of my job, our company has a retail division and we have to meet specific PCI (Procurment Card Industry - a credit purchasing card industry group) standards or we face higher processing fees. I know for larger retailers the standards are pretty high, 2 years ago we had to physically secure all card readers and pin pads to the counter, and mount video camera over all cash registers. All of the retail cashers and the IT folks who support them (that is where I come in) had to pass security checks and take PCI training. The industry is trying but the criminals are still finding ways, I do recall what one of the trainers said in our sessions, the safest approach for a consumer is to get a prepaid card and simply keep your cash in an account that will allow you to transfer what ever you need to the card quickly and easily. That is what I have been doing, I do have a regular card but it is rarely used except for a few preauthorized items I trust. When I want to shop online or in a store I simply log into my Online bank account and transfer enought to the card to cover the purchase. It may not work for every bank some take a few days to "process" a transfer but the one I use is same day so it works for me.
 
stiz said:
the card doesnt even have to leave your sight ... i dont know if you guys in the US have these, but over here we have portable card readers that the waiters bring to the table so you dont have to que at the bar etc, well theres been a few instances where they've been swaped round by thiefs in the morning then swaped back again at the end of the day .. so a whole days worth of card numbers and pins without the staff being any the wiser!

The real hustle covered it a while back and redid the scam, did try to find it on youtube but no luck.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen any table-side card readers in the US yet, but they were the standard up in Canada when I visited recently. Seems like a really sensible idea to me, and I hope we get them in the States soon.
 
spotlope said:
I haven't seen any table-side card readers in the US yet, but they were the standard up in Canada when I visited recently. Seems like a really sensible idea to me, and I hope we get them in the States soon.
Click to expand...

Tableside and remote wireless (Taxi/Piza Delivery etc.) are very common around here, the main payment processor that supports them in this region is a company called Monaris and they are extremely well encripted. our company uses Monaris as well so I have seen the security standards for set-up and it is as secure as the technology can be right now. I have yet to use a card on a wireless reader, not out of concern but I rarely use taxi's and I make a better Pizza than any of the delivery places around here, well the wife says I do but that is just her way of getting me to cook I think.
 
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