Marcarl Posted February 28, 2012 #1 Posted February 28, 2012 ESPECIALLY LOOK AT SCENE THREE... Be sure to read Scene 3. Quite interesting. This is a new one. People sure stay busy trying to cheat us, don't they? SCENE 1. A friend went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker. After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and thought to himself, 'Funny, I thought I locked the locker... Hmm, 'He dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order. Everything looked okay - all cards were in place... A few weeks later his credit card bill came - a whooping bill of $14,000! He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did not make the transactions. Customer care personnel verified that there was no mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen... 'No,' he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, and yep - you guessed it - a switch had been made. An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet. The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards. Verdict:The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them. How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy? $9,000! Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped? Small amounts rarely trigger a 'warning bell' with some credit card companies. It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to big one! SCENE 2. A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along. Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket. Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress and she looked perplexed. She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card. No exchange of words --- nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an apology.. Verdict: Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time. Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, 'assuming' that it has to be theirs. FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION! ========================== SCENE 3: Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in. I paid by using my Visa Check Card which, of course, is linked directly to my checking Account. The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture. He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, I'm thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on. It then dawned on me: the only thing there was my credit card, so now I'm paying close attention to what he is doing.. He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved. Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card. Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened. Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlor. All I am saying is, be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit card take caution and don't be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card. Be aware of phones, because many have a camera phone these days. FORWARD THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN THINK OF. LET'S GET THE WORD OUT. JUST BE AWARE! Never let your card out of your sight.....check and check again!
Carbon_One Posted February 28, 2012 #2 Posted February 28, 2012 Good info and thanks for sharing that Carl. Can't ever be to cautious these days. Larry
jfoster Posted February 28, 2012 #3 Posted February 28, 2012 I don't allow restaurant waitresses to take my card to pay the bill. Anal yes, but worth the piece of mind.
CaptainJoe Posted February 28, 2012 #4 Posted February 28, 2012 did you call the law so they could check the pics on his cell phone????
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted February 29, 2012 #5 Posted February 29, 2012 Maybe it is the banks we use but I have had 2 recent card issues: One night wife and I sitting watching a movie when the phone rang... it was almost 10 pm and the only one that phones me at that time of night is Rocket ..... I answered and a voice stumbled with my wifes name asking if she was there.... now knowing it was not Rocket I assumed a telemarketter.... asked who was calling ... the voice returned with is this Kevin? Saying yes to that he explained he was from our banks Visa branch then he asked me if Lori was doing teleshopping at Home Depot in New York..... I said no she is watching a movie. Then he asked if we had paid our cable/internet bill this evenning on our credit card.... no we never do... He said he knew we never had in past and our credit cards were as of that moment cancilled. Got off the phone onto the computor and the bank site and he was right no credit cards existed in our name no more..... Work company card... 3 week old "chip" card. Tried to pay a suplier and it kept coming back declined..... The government pays their credit cards, I knew it was not over limit... phone the bank.... they asked if I had been shopping at a bed and bath chain store... I said no we do not have that outlet in our city.... card cancilled because of it before I knew it. The systems in place are pretty tight but yup you gotta keep track of your cards always. And keep changing the PIN numbers.
Rickster Posted February 29, 2012 #6 Posted February 29, 2012 Thanks for the information makes you think and be more aware. Thank U
CaptainJoe Posted February 29, 2012 #7 Posted February 29, 2012 Just a thought, but I check my email "multilple times" a day. Have it set up so everytime my credit card is used, an email is sent to me... That way the crooks aren't going to get very far...
Flyinfool Posted February 29, 2012 #8 Posted February 29, 2012 Just a thought, but I check my email "multilple times" a day. Have it set up so everytime my credit card is used, an email is sent to me... That way the crooks aren't going to get very far... :sign yeah that: :sign yeah that: I do the same thing.
Rosie1965 Posted February 29, 2012 #9 Posted February 29, 2012 Call me old fashioned but I prefer to use cash for most transactions.
CaptainJoe Posted March 1, 2012 #10 Posted March 1, 2012 "Call me old fashioned but I prefer to use cash for most transactions. " As do I... However I don't like going in to a gas station to prepay for my gas and then have to then go back for my change...
Gray Ghost Posted March 1, 2012 #11 Posted March 1, 2012 This one has been going around on the internet for awhile. While credit card theft is a royal pain in the patoot, you can't be held liable for more than $50 (in the US) for an unauthorized transaction. While it is scary to think of someone swapping out your credit card for a bogus one, think of how many cards the thief would have to have ready access to in order to swap out one from the same bank/company, etc. And in taking a photo of the number, the verification code that they need to go with that for many transactions is on the back of the card. Now consider something scarier. All they need to do is copy down the numbers on a piece of paper while they have your card. And even worse there are devices that allow the thief to swipe your card, and then transfer that info to another swipe type card, like a hotel key. Another route of getting your number is when someone gains access to lists of numbers and sells them online, etc. I have had my CC numbers taken and used at least a couple of times. Total amount I have had to pay out so far, $0. I did have to go to the local police to file a report in one instance so there was some time and gas money lost. Fortunately I was not traveling and needing to use my card when it happened. When they take your card physically (or use a clone) they often charge a couple of dollars at something like a convenience store. That establishes whether or not the number is still good. If it is then they try to milk it for everything they can before you cut it off.
Rosie1965 Posted March 1, 2012 #12 Posted March 1, 2012 However I don't like going in to a gas station to prepay for my gas and then have to then go back for my change... Most stations around here still allow you to pump first. One of the things that attracted me to Iowa. I grew up in Southern California and you had to pay first, that was still back in the early 80's.
BuddyRich Posted March 1, 2012 #13 Posted March 1, 2012 Just today I had my ATM stolen apparently. Probably got caught by a skimmer. The 12 thru the 16th I was in San Diego working on our Systems there (IT). Today someone used my "chkcard" for 630 at Disneyworld Anahiem . I am home in San Antonio this week. Probably an employee of someplace I used it in SD. So I'm out the 630 till transactions clear the bank and then they can refund it. You would think they could figure out I didn't get from TX to CA in the matter of a few minutes as I was using the card today a couple of different times. Hours yes, but not minutes.
FROG MAN Posted March 1, 2012 #14 Posted March 1, 2012 I am credit card only. No cash for me. I would love to see a cash less society. I bet that would shut down all the cash only drug deals around here. Not to mention all the phoney bills being printed just to buy drugs.Credit cards is the only way I can monitor 100 % where my money goes. If you don't like using your bank debit card just use a credit card and pay the balance in full once a month.It would cost me $10 in gas just to go to the bank to get cash once a week.Thats more money then I have ever lost on credit card transactions in 10 years.
CaptainJoe Posted March 1, 2012 #15 Posted March 1, 2012 Just make sure you have more than one credit card on ya, in case one needs to be canceled...
scotty Posted March 9, 2012 #16 Posted March 9, 2012 So a couple of weeks ago we noticed weird charges on our credit card to the tune of $400. called the company and as a result the card was canceled and the charges would be reversed. No big deal. Today my new card shows up but no new card for the wife, hmmm odd? She checks the statement online and.... are you ready for this......well in excess of $21,0000! Well over the limit I might add! We just got off the phone with the company and it appears they canceled the wrong card. It looks like it will be taken care of. Fingers crossed.
saddlebum Posted March 9, 2012 #17 Posted March 9, 2012 Just make sure you have more than one credit card on ya, in case one needs to be canceled... I feell it is also safer to have a number of credit cards with low limits than one card with a high limit.
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