id theft (debit card)

[uppitycats]

I know that our credit card company is vigilant about this! My husband had an unexpected trip out of town a couple of weeks ago, literally booked a flight and took off early the next morning. I stayed home, and was doing some on-line shopping, when I got a call from our credit card company...the conversation was along the lines of: "Did you or someone authorized to use your card take a trip? Where?"...followed by..."since the flight, we noticed these charges to your card; can you identify them?"

 

If we're going on vacation on a cruise or flight, we always call the credit card company to let them know.

 

I am always surprised to learn about folks that don't carefully check their statements each month to be sure they're only being charged for things they've purchased! I do use my credit card, and my debit card to get cash at ATM's, but am always careful to verify the statement or bank balance immediately upon receipt.

[geoherb]

I had my credit card account used. I suspect it was the clerk at the B&B we stayed at in Fort Lauderdale. Fortunately the charges were small--and my credit card company did not make me pay them while they investigated. That's one reason I don't use a debit card. I don't want my money siphoned away and then I'd have to fight to get it back. This way it's the credit card company that's fighting my battles for me.

 

The credit card company cancelled that account number immediately and issued me a new card. That's one good reason to have a backup card on hand.

 

Another tip I learned was to contact your credit card company before you travel to let them know when and where you will be going if you plan to charge large purchases abroad. For instance, if you know you'll be shopping for jewelry in the islands.

 

In any case, one of the companies that the crook tried to charge to did not send him anything. The charge appeared on my statement followed by a credit from the same company. The other charge was to a music sharing website. It took a couple of months from the credit card company to get everything worked out.

[Eeyoregon]

My debit card number (not card) was stolen and they attempted to use it the week before Christmas.

 

The thief charged $1 at a store in a town 1 hour away to see if it was a "good" card.

 

My banks fraud department spotted it immediately due to the $1 amount and froze my account/card.

 

SUPER glad they did BUT I was at work all day and didn't receive the call or email from my bank until later that night AFTER my purchases were declined at my place of employment...how embarrassing!!

 

Just glad nothing more happened!

[judyzoo]

Judy, you should have canceled the card at the first port. I would have. My husband stupidly left his card at a restaurant and did not realize it for 30 minutes. We returned-they knew nothing. I went out to the car and called the bank company-fortunately the phone number was on my card. I canceled it THEN AND THERE. The next day the restaurant calls-they had found it-I toldl them to throw it away-as it was now worthless-hubby already had a replacement with a different number.

 

Yes, I could have cancelled and gotten a new number, which is what my bank offered to do (although it would have been some time before I could have received the physical new card, being that we were going from port to port). But because it was my debit card and tied in with a lot of payments and other accounts paid through the card, I didn't want the hassle of changing the card number on all of those, too. So I chose the worrying and the other type of hassle.

[Donray]

I would never carry a debit card. I carry a bank ATM card that does allow me to withdraw cash from my vacation account anywhere. People should understand the difference between the four types of cards.

 

ATM bank card: These are not associated with Visa or MasterCard and only allow transaction through ATMs with a pin number. Not good at merchants. No fee for the card. I have one of these for our everyday account and for our vacation/paypal account. This allows me to carry the vacation card and use ATMs to get local currency without worrying about can anyone get at my primary account that would have a lot more money it.

Debit Card: These are cards that allow the same transactions as the ATM card with the ability to use these at many merchants. They require a pin number and the amount is immediately withdrawn from the account. These cards are not associated with Visa or MasterCard. These accounts usually have a card fee and transaction fee when used at a merchant. I would not have one of these since it cost and added fee every time it is used. Note, their could be some banks that don't charge for all transactions.

Credit card: The three main credit card processors are Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. There is some yearly fee for these cards and many offer cash back, airline miles, etc. There is no= fee for using these. The merchant pays a fee for accepting these cards of 2 to 6 percent. I have both two Visa (air miles) and one American Express (cash back). We carry the one Visa that is used only for online transactions and vacation and the American Express. I carry one the wife the other. I pay off all balances every month so I have never paid intrest on any balance. We change almost everything and pay off the 2 to 10 K a month every month.

ATM/Debit/Credit card: This is the worst card to carry and have. It is a combination of a bank debit card and a sort of credit card. This card can be used as a Debit card when used with the oin and the amount is taken from your account when used. This card can be used with only a signature at which time the amount of the transaction is deducted within two days or so. The bad pert is that money will be deduted from your account without a pin. Thus anyone that gets your card number can use it. They don't need the pin to empty your account. Bad, Bad and worse. Banks will try to give you this card instead of an ATM card. Tell the bank you just want an ATM card. Don’t take these Visa/MasterCard junk cards.

People should understand the deference between all these cards and know what they rights they have when using them.

I always carry a credit card with at least 15K limit on vacation in case of medical or travel problems. Insurance is nice, but they pay after the fact. When need to buy $3,000 of emergency airfare or medical bill the insurance does not help.

[Ephraim]

I'm on my third credit card in a year. The first time the card was cloned it was a breaking at a US supermarket chain called Hannaford, part of the Delhaize Group. The second time my bank card to tell me that the account had been compromised by a US Clearing House. So, I am on my third card. The CC company covered all the transactions, though I have to admit that I have had a lot of trouble using my card since then because of the security. I'm unable to use it at some US merchants and even Home Depot in Canada can be a problem because they use a US clearing house for their cards in Canada.

 

Will I use my debit card to pay for transactions? NEVER! I use my debit card at a bank ATM only. There is no protection for a debit card at all.

 

Have they started to issue cards in the US with the chip? The banks in Canada have already started issuing debit cards and credit cards with the chip.

[JSQ01]

the problem with a debit card is that by law they have less protection than a credit card. Most banks will let you have the same protection but they aren't required to(and if the bank has a problem it will be yours too). Unlike a credit card with a debit card the money actually comes out of you bank account and the bank needs to put it back in sometimes a long process and by then a lot of checks have gone bong. I have an ATM card that only works with a code at the ATM machine and credit cards...no debit card for me.

 

Actually Regulation E protects consumers when debit card fraud occurs. You may be liable for a certain amount (same as with a credit card), but if the bank tries to tell you that you have to wait or you may never get your money back, pull out your documentation on Reg E and show it to them. (I spent nine years as a bank examiner - ran into this kind of stuff all the time.) This reg does protect the consumer and banks are required to follow the regulation.

[mactrio]

Chase bank called us the day after Christmas to ask about suspicious charges on our Visa. Someone had a good Christmas. $550 to I-Tunes, $800+ to Fashion Bug, $400+ to pack & Paddle, etc...it was several thousand in charges and luckily Chase caught it and canceled the card and stopped the charges.

 

Last week our bank called us, we live in a small town and it is a locally owned bank; anyway our debit card was compromised and it was the cc central processing business that found out they had employed a bunch of crooks. The employees stole debit & cc numbers. Luckily it was caught before they could use my card. My ATM card and also my debit card have a cap of $500 per day for usage. So if someone actually tried to use it, he/she could only spend $500.

 

I have a visa w/ a very high limit that we will use for traveling. If anything were to happen, we can use it and know we will have enough to cover a ton of expenses without having to panic.

[kaymac22]

Used a debit card at an ATM on an Antigua vacation last year. Received a call back home 3 weeks later, asking if we were using our card in (darn, I can't think of the country - Romania, maybe....). Someone had charged $500 twice in that country. My bank cancelled the card and replaced the funds back into my account within 3 days. Kind of scary. Will not use a debit card on vacation anymore.