Stolen debit card

[GAD]

And WAIT!!! In NJ you can't pump your own gas?? I had no idea. Why is that? Also, I'm trying to think of any gas station in recent memory here or CA that isn't self serve. How bizarre!!

Yup. It’s illegal to pump your own gas in NJ which sucks if they’re slow but pretty great in the winter.

 

[davismanLV]

Wow!! I had no idea. The regular gas stations here are pretty easy as far as drive in and get gas. Rarely is there any backup. That all changes when you go to a club (Sam's Club, Costco, etc.) gas station to save money. Sometimes up to $0.40 per gallon!! However, I try to go early-ish on a weekday and even then the cars are lined up back to the physical club store!! I've waited 30 minutes for a turn at the pump. And of course in Las Vegas, in summer, you gotta keep the car running with the a/c going all that time because it's like a million degrees outside. I think I still save money, but waste gas. Oh well....

 

[Midnight Toker]

The big risk these days isn’t someone watch you enter you pin - it’s skimmers: fake readers that sit over the real readers so they can grab the info on the stripe.

It's actually a combo of both, as to use many cards for purchases, you'd still need a pin, or billing address, or zip code. For debit cards, if they get the pin as well, they just make burner cards w/ your info and use the pin. They typically target gas stations that don't have security cameras....and they stick tiny hidden cameras overhead that can clearly see you enter your pin. It was all explained to me by my bank. They said w/ a debit card, if you simply cover your pin entry from being seen, the card info is useless to them. CC cards on the other hand, if they make purchases where chip readers still aren't being used, being that no pin is required, they can go on a shopping spree. Electronic signatures on card reader pads are a joke. You can scribble "Mickey Mouse" on it and it'll be accepted.

 

[Guildedagain]

The big risk these days isn’t someone watch you enter you pin - it’s skimmers: fake readers that sit over the real readers so they can grab the info on the stripe.

I think this only works with bar codes, and they know that, but are slow to change.

I'm thinking this wont get anything off a chip card, unless the scammers have evolved.

 

[Roland]

I can only speak from my own experience. Five years ago I got an overdraft notice from my bank. I got online and someone took two grand out of my checking account. I bank with Wells Fargo so I called their fraud number and they were right on it. The money was back in the account within twelve hours and the overdraft fees were removed. The first person I talked to when I reported it told me that the sooner it gets reported the quicker they can fix it. So don't wait.

 

[dreadnut]

In the Navy, thieves were the lowest of the lowlifes. Those who were caught always seemed to fall down a ladder on the way to brig.

 

[Opsimath]

In the Navy, thieves were the lowest of the lowlifes. Those who were caught always seemed to fall down a ladder on the way to brig.

So they were clumsy, too?

 

[davismanLV]

I can only speak from my own experience. Five years ago I got an overdraft notice from my bank. I got online and someone took two grand out of my checking account. I bank with Wells Fargo so I called their fraud number and they were right on it. The money was back in the account within twelve hours and the overdraft fees were removed. The first person I talked to when I reported it told me that the sooner it gets reported the quicker they can fix it. So don't wait.

I bank with Wells Fargo as well, and they notified me, asked questions, and had me contact them immediately and it was resolved very quickly. Not sure how they knew, except that I had just bought gas in Las Vegas, and almost immediately the card was used to try to buy gas and get cash in North Las Vegas over 50 minutes away. They knew before I did, that's for sure!!

 

[fronobulax]

Electronic signatures on card reader pads are a joke. You can scribble "Mickey Mouse" on it and it'll be accepted.

I've been told it is a hangover from Ye Olden Days. When authorization was not done online, in real time, the merchant who accepted the card was liable if the signature was absent or did not match. The signature is pretty much useless for that purpose today but the laws and regulations assigning liability are still in place. As I understand it today the merchants have to ask for the signature but the validation responsibility has been assigned to the credit card company.

 

[Midnight Toker]

I've been told it is a hangover from Ye Olden Days. When authorization was not done online, in real time, the merchant who accepted the card was liable if the signature was absent or did not match. The signature is pretty much useless for that purpose today but the laws and regulations assigning liability are still in place. As I understand it today the merchants have to ask for the signature but the validation responsibility has been assigned to the credit card company.

Yeah, it's just an added after the fact feature so you can verify if that was your sig or not. I see most people just putting a line or an x on the pad. And having to sign w/ your finger? Impossible!! Always looks like a 2nd grader forged my name!

 

[davismanLV]

Card companies don't care about a signature. My signature shows up on Don's cards more often than his. Usually out for a meal or something and he just shoves it at me to figure the tip and sign. So I just use my own sig. Nothing. No one cares. They've never said anything.

 

[marius]

This is one of the reasons I use a credit card for all purchases and pay it off at the end of the month. My card number was stolen twice over the last couple of years, and although it was a pain to update my card info with all the retailers that charge me automatically for recurring bills it never touched my actual bank account.

Also in both cases it was the credit card company that quickly alerted me of the potential fraud

 

[5thumbs]

As some others here, I have a checking account with a debit card that I use for all day-to-day purchases. I keep a relatively small amount of money in it, re-stocking as needed from my principle account. The primary account, which receives all my direct deposits and received checks, has no card or PIN associated with it - the only access is through the bank's website, with a secure password. So anyone stealing my shopping card info is picking a very shallow pocket. It's not a solution but a reasonable safeguard.

As far as credit card frauds, I've only had one. They notified me of a questionable purchase and had me fill out a form denying the claim. The charge was erased and nothing further was said. I don't know if they ever found the offender - I hope they did.

For online purchases, I use a generated virtual card number. It's a slightly irritating second step, but does make me feel better.