| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Nov 22 2006 : 4:20:21 PM
Once again I have gotten victimized by someone fraudently claiming to be me. Last year they used my social security number to order cell phones, this time it seems they have created (or purchased) fake credit cards with my CC number but a fake address/zip code.
Both of the vendors involved this time say they purchased (2) Ipods.
Since the crimes happened 1500 miles apart I doubt if it is the same people as last year, although I suppose it is possible.
One of the store security people I talked to today said that I should analyze all the legitimate online transactions I have made recently to narrow down the possibilities. Of course it is possible they just picked my number at random.
Girls, if you are ordering gifts online this Christmas, please, first make sure you never put your credit card number onto a screen where the URL doesn't start with https or the padlock indicator at the bottom of your screen doesn't show a lock.
Secondly, use a firewall at all times, especially if you stay connected when you are not at the computer.
Third, encrypt your email. Many vendors will send you a confirmation of the sale in email. Hopefully they do not include your credit card number.
Fourth, periodically scan your PC for spyware infections. Also make sure your virus signature files are up to date. I am scanning my system right now with Spyware Doctor and so far it has found 182 infections, hopefully these are benign... It will be a long night to determine what these all are.
Fifth, never click on a link that is sent to you via email from a stranger, especially if it is supposed to be about a disputed transaction on ebay or asking for confirmation of an account number. If it looks like it could be from a company you deal with like ebay or Paypal, go to the eBay or paypal web site by typing in the address you have used in the past, not the one included in the email.
Finally, don't wait to open your credit card bills when they arrive, even if you don't intend to pay them immediately. If you do get victimized you need to report it right away.
I'm pretty sure I followed all those rules, but still managed to get victimized. It should be pretty easy to prove since they will have photos of the people using the fake cards. Luckily, the credit card company notified me of the potential fraud. I doubt if I will get stuck for this bill - but I do know that we all pay for this type of crime in higher prices and higher taxes.
One other thing you can do to protect yourself is that if your credit card company offers online alerts, you can have them email you or send you a text message to your cell phone for transactions over a certain dollar limit or when there is suspicious activity.
Because of last year I also pay a monthly fee to have credit report monitoring in case someone tries to open an account in my name.
I hate that we have to be so vigilant to protect ourselves, I grew up in a time when people could put a cash box on a table in front of their house selling produce with a sign that says "self-serve" kind of like the one Mary Jane described at the mill in her book. I'm not ready to give up and go back entirely to a cash economy, though...
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| LadyCrystal |
Posted - Nov 25 2006 : 07:28:04 AM
Both my Brother in law and my Mother in law had there Debit card # stolen. The banke finally figured it out after a day because a huge amount of customer debit cards were coming up with fraudulant charges. An employee at the local BJ's had stolen them. Luckily the bank was on top of it.Good luck with everything.
Alicia
http://fromcitytocountrygirl.blogspot.com/
follow your dreams |
| bohemiangel |
Posted - Nov 25 2006 : 07:04:44 AM
WOW brenda I'm SO sorry! Karma......for those people! It's great you get the word out though. I guess that could be looked on as a positive from this horrible thing. HUGS!
"... to thine ownself be true." |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Nov 24 2006 : 2:44:58 PM
Kay, thanks for sharing your story. It is so easy to get in the habit of "pointing and clicking" that it only takes a minute's inattention to respond to one of these scam artists. I am glad you were able to get the ID's changed so quickly.
I know I am being super vigilant now. I paid for some stamps at the post office today with my debit card and I made sure I covered the screen with one hand while typing in the pin with the other.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Nov 24 2006 : 2:42:00 PM
Erin, you are right. It doesn't have to be online, and they can make up numbers easily if they have the first 12 digits of a valid card I think they could probably use 9998 other ones just as easily, by randomly picking four digit numbers.
Here is an article I found about a recent case in Chicago (they obviously didn't get all the crooks as my card number was used in the Chicago suburbs) http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/110606-chicago-area-cops-arrest-12.html?page=1
This article describes a case of hotel employees selling credit card numbers of their guests. And the second page of the article says that only six percent of all known cases of identity theft are from online transactions.
Makes me want to pay cash for all transactions... online or in person!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| Bluewrenn |
Posted - Nov 24 2006 : 1:03:55 PM
Nowadays it doesn't even have to be as a result of someone hijacking your information online. They can get your credit card information so many ways - when you pay for groceries, get gas, eat out at a restaurant, even by random number generators... All they need is one person's credit card number to generate possible other card numbers.
Other times it just takes one piece of mail that wasn't shredded, or one careless office worker... Here in Dallas, they found someone's safe that had fallen off a truck and all of the checks that people had sent them were inside. The opened safe sat on the side of the road for days, even AFTER being reported to the police (who said they couldn't find it in the weeds...)
My Homesteading Journal http://toomyvara.livejournal.com
My craft journal http://bluewrenn.livejournal.com
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| berries |
Posted - Nov 23 2006 : 05:45:46 AM
Brenda and Anna! We all know the bad guys are out there. Three weeks ago, our credit card company called, we were having a bunch of suspicious charges in (Korea), and had we made them. NOT! But they held up the largest one, and they were very nice and we won't be responsible for any of the charges that aren't ours! They said it is probably random numbers, and ours finally came up. They stopped that card/number and mailed out new cards. I was shaken at first, but thank goodness they can tell. All the charges had been manually put in, and had done several small charges and then a great big one.
But it's all okay now. I just hope that the ones responsible will eventually get caught. Just be careful, be safe, and stop and thing too before those emails get you. We even had an email from our credit card company - on an email we don't use that often - asking us to update information. I knew they didn't have that email!!!!!! They are smart!
Be safe, take care, Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!! God Bless each and everyone!
farmgirl hugs, gloria g. Richards, TX
strawberry fields forever and ever!
www.strawberryhousequilting.com |
| Annab |
Posted - Nov 23 2006 : 03:46:58 AM
Sorry to hear about this. Nothing worse than feeling violated .
We live so far out in the boonies that they don't run cable/high speed internet, so thanks to dial up and fear of pop up electrical storms, as soon as we are finished on the computer, it all gets unplugged from the wall.
Sad and scary how hackers can still get in even when you aren't actively using it!
My dad's SSN was one of those stolen from the Veteran Records. He gets one of those monthly reports now too. Only he still travels, so he has to go over his statements carefully.
What a pain for everyone.
I used to have a discover Card and about fell out one afternoon when they called wondering about some back to back purchases. It was me shopping and getting gas, but it sure was nice to have a watchdog service like this.
And the person we take our vehicles to, he is just a one man operation. Someone got his credit card number too. |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Nov 22 2006 : 11:28:06 PM
Brenda -- I am so sorry that this happened to you. I had a very scary incident along these lines tonight. I have a few things listed on eBay. I got an inquiry from someone regarding one of the items. It was one of the emails that is sent through eBay with a link to respond. When you click the respond button it takes you to the sign in page where you put in your id and password. Well I clicked the link, put in my information, and immediately got an error message saying the item could not be found.
I knew instantly that I had been the victim of someone trying to get my eBay info. I went to my MEbay to check and see if the a copy of the email was in my inbox and it wasn't. That is where I should have responded from but I am a trusting soul. I've never had a problem before. I went right in and changed my password, also changed my PayPal password. The last thing I wanted was this person to get bank info from PayPal.
I did a spyware and virus scan on my computer and found a trojan virus that came from the letter. I quarantined the virus. Also reported the incident to eBay. It just makes me so angry that there are these dishonest people lurking online trying to steal from honest hardworking people.
I hope that you are able to get your situation cleared up soon. Thanks for the info about online safety.
Handmade delights at www.rusticcottagecreations.com
Visit my blog! http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/
The Clark County Farmgirls have a blog! http://thefarmgirls.blogspot.com |
| Libbie |
Posted - Nov 22 2006 : 9:38:34 PM
Oh, Brenda - I'm so sorry this happened to you *twice!* And, thanks for the reminder to be safe - it's something that is really important. I hope that you are able to clear things up quickly and easily!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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