Someone I know became a victim of credit card fraud. Unbelievable, but true.
How exactly did it happen goes something like this:
Let's call him Harry.
A couple of weeks ago, Harry did his usual midmorning jaunt to the local supermarket. After he got everything he needed, he proceeded to the check-out counter. The cashier / clerk rang up his purchases, after which he handed his credit card. He waited for her to present him those little receipts so he could sign them. Nothing of the sort came. Instead, she looked at him and told him his credit card was declined. He was surprised. Because first, he had never used up his credit limit; and second, he had just fully paid off the previous bill. There was no way it could have been declined. So he requested her to swipe it again because maybe there was just some glitch a while ago. She did and again, it was denied. There was no point pushing the matter. It was declined and that was that. As strange as it is. Suffice it to say, he was able to pay for the groceries in some other way.
On his way home, he dropped by a pastry station just to check if the card would go through. It didn't again. When he arrived home, he immediately called the credit card company. He asked for the status of the card and why it was declined. They asked him if he used the credit card six hours ago in Europe to buy things worth US$6,000.00. Oh boy! He was speechless! Or he tried to be, but he being him, he couldn't help but immediately vehemently deny such a preposterous idea. He was and has always been in Asia, not in Europe. And six hours ago was the wee hours of the morning and he was still deep in slumber.
Anyway, to make the story short, six hours before Harry's foray to the mall, somebody in Europe used his credit card to purchase things worth US$6,000.00. No, the bad guy didn't do it over the Internet. That is actually the eerie part. The bad guy did it in a usual brick and mortar store. Meaning, mister bad guy walked up to a store building, got some stuff worth a whopping US$6,000.00 and paid for it with a credit card bearing the details of Harry's credit card. Unluckily for the bad guy, it did not go through because Harry does not have that gigantic credit limit.
So, nowadays, anyone can become a victim of credit card theft even without having your physical credit card be stolen. All the bad guy needs to know are the details of your credit card. The bad guy could use it to purchase over the Internet or even in the usual brick and mortar stores by using your credit card details and putting it in a new physical plastic credit card. Voila! There goes the bad guy with his shopping spree. Courtesy of you. Very scary, indeed.
Where the crook got the details of Harry's credit card? He has no idea. But his best bet would be the Internet. He did some transactions over the Internet using that card. Probably some of those sites he transacted in weren't that safe enough. Got hacked, maybe. Just like in the movies.
In case you're wondering, Harry doesn't have to pay for the US$6,000.00. He got that clear right from the start.
Moral of the story? Be careful with your credit card.
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17 comments:
we really have to be extra careful with everything nowadays esp. if money related...
one thing i like about my credit card comp is when i make a purchase (esp if amount is big), they usually call up my celfone immediately to confirm if i did make that purchase...
belated happy valentine's day, dee!
btw, saw your reply about the honest scrap thing... guess there are more things we have in common... so you speak cebuano too? :)
oh my! i wish this will never happen to me... it made me check my credit card through bpi's website... hehhee... only to find out i already surpassed my credit limit and that i will now pay my usual minimum credit payment... waaaaahh... thanks for dropping by my blog! :D
that's scary!
i worked for an international credit card company before and cases like this happen regularly. there a lot of ways to use the other person's card (fraud) without the owner's consent. my advice? stick to buying stuff on the counter. limit or avoid using your card online. never mail your payments, credit cards/bills are often stolen on the mailbox or during transit. don't put too much credit limit on one card, use 2 or 3 cards...
That's a nightmare if it happens to me! It pays to be careful with your information these days...
It's all Greek to me. hahaha. I need the reassuring feel of cold hard cash. Hey, yatot, it's good to be a little scared once in a while huh? At least you find out you've maxed the card already. hehehe. Is that the right term?
I don't worry about the credit cards that much--- I DON'T HAVE THEM!!lol!!Kidding aside,really scary,though.
Have a nice day,Dee!^_^
If the bad guy went to a store then his fake credit card has a magnetic tape (the black strip at the back) with Harry's info. Conmen have devices that could copy credit card info by swiping it in this device. It's prudent to always set your eyes on your card when transacting and be alert that they swipe your card in front of you.
You deserve to be awarded as a Mom, so please grab this best MOM award
Scary, scary story. Thanks for sharing it.
hi dee, naku you're also fond of accessories pala mala-vintage style...
since you live in the north area, you might want to try checking out silver finds in alimall or lazurite at trinoma... i'm not sure if it's the same owner or exactly the same shop and items but those are the other stores printed on their plastic bag... :)
i really love their stuff! hope you get to find your amethyst ring there... ;D
it's really scarry! that's why i only use just a couple of my cards when i shop online and i always look for the paypal sign... i think this is more secure and its guaranteed... (",)
@7thstranger: Yes, most credit card companies do that which is good to prevent fraudulent transactions from going through. Yeah, I speak Cebuano, :) one of the many things we have in common. Belated Happy Valentines Day too and have a nice day! :D
@Yatot: Haha. That's what I did too when I came to know of this story. I got scared. Thanks too and have a nice day! :D
@Chubskulit: Exactly! Have a nice day! :D
@Lemuel: Oh, that's really very helpful. Thanks for that! I'll take note of those and tell that to my family and friends. Great tips! Thanks again and have a wonderful day! :D
@Gigi: Yes, especially considering the fact that nowadays, everyone seems to be having difficulty financially. Have a wonderful day, Gigi! :D
@Jan: Haha. I'm not much of a credit card user myself. I think cash is still the better way to go. But credit card can sometimes be convenient because we don't need to carry a big amount. As long as we're responsible in using it...
Yeah, I think that's the right term. Have a wonderful day, Jan! :D
@Clarissa: Oh, it's really scary. I sometimes think that it's better not to have credit cards because then, there's less worry. Have a wonderful day, Clarissa! :D
@BlogusVox: Oh, yes, you're right! I remember now. I think I heard something like that. Yeah, they do that. Oh, that's really helpful. I'll take note of that. Great tip! Thanks and have a wonderful day! :D
@Chubskulit: Thanks for the award! My first mommy award. Love it. Take care! :D
@Karmi: It is. Take care, Karmi! :D
@7thstranger: Oh, thank you, thank you for that. I was thinking of going to Alabang next week. But I'll try Trinoma na lang muna because it's really much nearer. Yeah, I hope i find it. :D I really got excited when I read your post. I'm now so looking forward to go to that store. Thanks again. Have a wonderful day! :D
@Diane: Hi Sis! :D Oo nga, Paypal is way much better! You're right, it's more secure and guaranteed! Take good care ha and give my kisses to the kids! :D
Hello,Dee!! Thanks for dropping by!^_^I didn't know that you have kids.Di tuloy kita naisama sa list nung Pregnancy tag ko.If you have time,please grab!
hmm. our neighbor had a credit card problem before. her card was stolen. hindi niya namalayan that her card was gone until her 100 thousand worth of bills came.
so ang lesson? always check your card and when lost, report it asap. :)
Yes, credit card frauds are very common these days. It is scary indeed. People can do a lot to harm others, not just physically, but mentally. Bad guys are mean. My husband doesn't like using credit card, he would get money from ATM card and use cash for purchases.
@Clarissa: Hi Clarissa! :D Thank you too. Oh, it's alright. :D Ay, thanks for that. I will definitely grab it, hehe. Thanks again and have a great day! :D
@Reena: Hi Reena! :D Yes, it's really important to report it immediately because I heard that if we don't, the credit card company, I think, would charge us. Have a great day, Reena! :D
@Mom Of Four: Hi Liz! :D You're right, it can harm us mentally, with all the worries it can give us. And yes, cash is still the best way to go, because aside from worrying about all these credit card frauds, we need not worry about high interest rates too. Have a great day, Liz! :D
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