Attacked by the Identity Theft Fairy

[dirtybird82]

:mad2:
Well as the title reads, some Blankity Blank Blank got a hold of my debit card information and went to town ordering stuff online. I already called my bank and they opened a fraud investigation Asap which made me quite happy and I also already got all the money back this person took from me.

Just word of advice which I know we all should know, check your bank accounts daily for any strange transactions. O yea they even ordered something from this place called TASSIMO??? never heard of it but they ordered it and had it sent to my moms address back in the states, can you believe that?

Sigh I just needed to vent. Just sucks I can't get money out until I get my new card but it's better than someone else taking it out I guess :D.

Beware of fraud ladies and gents please.

[MMarauder03]

:mad2:
Well as the title reads, some Blankity Blank Blank got a hold of my debit card information and went to town ordering stuff online. I already called my bank and they opened a fraud investigation Asap which made me quite happy and I also already got all the money back this person took from me.

Just word of advice which I know we all should know, check your bank accounts daily for any strange transactions. O yea they even ordered something from this place called TASSIMO??? never heard of it but they ordered it and had it sent to my moms address back in the states, can you believe that?

Sigh I just needed to vent. Just sucks I can't get money out until I get my new card but it's better than someone else taking it out I guess :D.

Beware of fraud ladies and gents please.

Way to catch it earlier rather than later! Sorry to hear about your misfortune though

[tbone]

It's happened to me a few times with Fifth Third Bank. Not any more. I switched to Harris Bank. 5/3 blows!

[LIGHTNIN1]

Glad to hear you caught problem early on.It happened to a friend of mine and the bank caught it before he did. I hate to know there are so many no goods out there.:mad2:

[dirtybird82]

I wouldn't have caught it, but they sent the evidence literally to my door step, I mean seriously.

[Mr. Man]

Cash is King. We only use credit cards for emergencies and very large purchases. Don't even have a debit card. Unless you have phenomenal credit the charges these banks impose equate to loan-sharking.

Glad to hear you got your money back. Hope they catch the perp and throw them away.

[DTUB]

Debit cards don't seem to be as secure as credit cards.
I found that out the hard way.

[tbone]

Cash is King. We only use credit cards for emergencies and very large purchases. Don't even have a debit card. Unless you have phenomenal credit the charges these banks impose equate to loan-sharking.

Glad to hear you got your money back. Hope they catch the perp and throw them away.

My bank dosn't charge for debit card purchases.

I hate it when someone in front of me in line writes a check. Takes forever!

[whitey]

i think tassimo is a coffee maker/brewer kinda like a kuerig.....if you dont want it, ill take it..;)....good job on catching them early--whitey

[Vortex]

Debit cards are a scam run by banks and have few of the federal madated protections offered by credit cards. You are much better off using a credit card and paying it off at the end of the month (or using cash). Caveat emptor.


The features that make debit cards convenient - instant access to your money, lack of a required PIN number and not having to drag out your photo ID when you use it - make fraud that much easier. Unless reported quickly, theft of your debit card can quickly devastate your bank account. This is where you begin to see the difference.
Credit card companies are held to strict liability laws; the law limits consumer liability for credit card fraud to $50. For example, if you notice suspicious charges on your credit card statement such as double billing or an incorrect charge, the credit card company is obligated to investigate if you send in a written request within 60 days.
For debit card fraud, your liability is $50 if you notify the bank within two days of noticing the fraudulent charges. After two days, your liability increases to $500, and up to your entire account balance after 60 days. So, if you report the theft after two days, you can be held responsible for paying for purchases or charges that you didn't make. Although many banks have started to implement voluntary plans to limit customer liability to $50, there is no federal law regarding this issue.
The key to protecting yourself when you suspect that your stuff has been stolen is acting fast! In addition to stricter liability laws, credit cards offer more consumer protection on purchases made. Use credit cards for very large or fragile purchases and for objects that will be delivered to your home after the purchase. This gives you added insurance in case the purchase is damaged in route.
One final advantage of credit cards is that they are helpful for consumers seeking to establish or reestablish an attractive credit history. Responsible credit card usage can improve one's credit rating, which will improve your chances of obtaining favorable credit terms (low interest rates, low fees, etc.) for automobile loans, mortgages and personal loans.
One pitfall for many debit card consumers is not keeping up with their debit transactions. This is like writing checks and not recording your purchases - you may end up trying to spend money that you don't have! Discipline yourself to keep up with your transaction receipts.
Finally, a debit card is not just a card - it's ready access to your money. Be as careful with it as you would with your wallet if it contained the contents of your entire bank account.

[SHERIFF]

:mad2:
.... never heard of it but they ordered it and had it sent to my moms address back in the states, can you believe that?



Common practice. It's most likely somebody who lives close to your mother's house. They were hoping to see the packages delivered and snatch them off the porch real quick before your mother came out and got them.

[burtreynolds]

After a run in with this as well I keep three bank accounts. Savings, Liquid cash and Debit card. No credit cards because you are liable for that money spent even after you find the fraudulent transactions. Dont think an identity theft clause on your credit card will save you, Amex told me any fraudulent transactions on my card would be dealt with immediately by no fault or liability to me...only to then come after me for 12,000.00 in Best Buy products that are sitting in some shitbag's house. After consulting with a lawyer and allowing him to communicate with Amex, they backed down.

If you keep three accounts and keep limited cash in the debit card account (you can add to it as needed through internet banking from liquid) you may lose some money, but if you keep like 1000-2000 in the debit at a time you are not out much if someone decides to be you for a day.

[justbob]

That sucks man. After I had my S.S. # "borrowed" for one of those quick credit checks through Wicks Furniture, I had to physically go home and answer the home phone to verify it was really me for every purchase on credit for seven years!! This jerk spent over $20,000 at that store! When I asked how they base their approval off the quick credit checks, they replied "We just check for a good S.S. #........" Shouldn't that have thrown a red flag when the name and address didn't match???!

[dakslim]

I was hounded by Verizon Wireless over a $700 bill. I've never had Verizon. It took a while but finally got it straightened out. It really is scary as I've had to cancel a couple of cards due to identity theft.