5 ways thieves steal credit card data

[IMSAVED]

This is becoming quite common now.Scary.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/cred...rd-data-1.aspx

[live2love]

I've also heard of other ways too.

In a petrol station (Gas station), the assistant watches you put your PIN number into the machine and photographs your credit card with their mobile (cell phone). With both pieces of information, they can easily clone your card and have a rare old time using your card.


The 2 following occurrences happened to me in the past few months.


I had an email from my credit card company saying that there was some dubious transactions in my account and would I please click on the link?

The email certainly looked plausible but, on closer inspection, there were 2 spelling mistakes in it. I phoned my credit card issuer who denied sending me this email and I requested a new card just in case they had my details. (I think they thought I had a zip up the back of my head - translation sawdust or woodshavings for brains )



The second occurence happened only a couple of weeks ago.

I got an email from PayPal telling me that there was insufficient money in my account for a transaction. The fact that I don't have any money stored in PayPal obviously never occurred to them.


I ignored that email too.

But because they looked genuine, i may well have been taken in by their emails.

So it can be all too easy to fall for these tricks.

[araj54]

livetolove:
You shouldn't even open those e-mails. I get those on my secondary e-mail account and I delete them right away.

[live2love]

Thanks for that. I realise that now, so thanks very much for the advice.

[IMSAVED]

I've also heard of other ways too.

In a petrol station (Gas station), the assistant watches you put your PIN number into the machine and photographs your credit card with their mobile (cell phone). With both pieces of information, they can easily clone your card and have a rare old time using your card.


The 2 following occurrences happened to me in the past few months.


I had an email from my credit card company saying that there was some dubious transactions in my account and would I please click on the link?

The email certainly looked plausible but, on closer inspection, there were 2 spelling mistakes in it. I phoned my credit card issuer who denied sending me this email and I requested a new card just in case they had my details. (I think they thought I had a zip up the back of my head - translation sawdust or woodshavings for brains )



The second occurence happened only a couple of weeks ago.

I got an email from PayPal telling me that there was insufficient money in my account for a transaction. The fact that I don't have any money stored in PayPal obviously never occurred to them.


I ignored that email too.

But because they looked genuine, i may well have been taken in by their emails.

So it can be all too easy to fall for these tricks.

I have often thought that it is scary to use a credit card at the gas station.Then how do you pay for your gas?I rarely have cash and it is a hassle to go to the bank and get cash out only for gas.

[paul_v]

Ugh I think it's time to only use cash when buying day to day stuff.

[Mommytoa3rdgradeboy]

*Most* of the time, I pay w/ either cash or a check, even when purchasing gas. 90% of the time, I use case when at restraunts.

[IMSAVED]

*Most* of the time, I pay w/ either cash or a check, even when purchasing gas. 90% of the time, I use case when at restraunts.

Their are alot of companies now that will not take checks.It is not safe to have alot of money in your wallet.

[IamHis]

For those of you who get emails and aren't sure where they come from,
just mouse over ( hover) the link that is provided and look at it carefully.
The site you would be going to is shown at the bottom of your browser
in the left hand side. Don't click! Just hover and look at the info at the
bottom of your browser. You will often see the name of the genuine site is changed by a letter
or two, or there is a re-direct command in the link. Easy way to see if
the email is 'phishing' or a complete fraud.

[Awakened]

Their are alot of companies now that will not take checks.It is not safe to have alot of money in your wallet.

Carrying cash is no more of a risk then having your debit card information stolen. If a purse/wallet is stolen, they have gained X amount of cash, if your debit card information is stolen, they can clean out your account. Also, your transactions (paper trail) with debit cards are being monitored. Bottom line, everyone has to determine what risk(s) they are willing to take.

[IMSAVED]

Carrying cash is no more of a risk then having your debit card information stolen. If a purse/wallet is stolen, they have gained X amount of cash, if your debit card information is stolen, they can clean out your account. Also, your transactions (paper trail) with debit cards are being monitored. Bottom line, everyone has to determine what risk(s) they are willing to take.

You have a point.

[Nate928]

I live in Arizona which is the #1 state with the the most identity theft. I also work at a has station. There are people who leave small devices in the card reader at the pump that downloads all the information from transactions. When they are ready they just go collect their device and now have your info. Needless to say, I avoid paying at the pump as much as I can!

[waiting1]

I've also heard of other ways too.

In a petrol station (Gas station), the assistant watches you put your PIN number into the machine and photographs your credit card with their mobile (cell phone). With both pieces of information, they can easily clone your card and have a rare old time using your card.


The 2 following occurrences happened to me in the past few months.


I had an email from my credit card company saying that there was some dubious transactions in my account and would I please click on the link?

The email certainly looked plausible but, on closer inspection, there were 2 spelling mistakes in it. I phoned my credit card issuer who denied sending me this email and I requested a new card just in case they had my details. (I think they thought I had a zip up the back of my head - translation sawdust or woodshavings for brains )



The second occurence happened only a couple of weeks ago.

I got an email from PayPal telling me that there was insufficient money in my account for a transaction. The fact that I don't have any money stored in PayPal obviously never occurred to them.


I ignored that email too.

But because they looked genuine, i may well have been taken in by their emails.

So it can be all too easy to fall for these tricks.

call your credit card on the phone, I never answer any e-mails for that very reason. Also then if you find out it is a fraud send it to the Credit Cards Fraud Department this helps them nail frauds before they ven realise they are the ones being tricked.

[waiting1]

Forward all fake corresspondence to their Fraud departments.

[Hootmon]

Debit cards are evil. I try to never use them except at an ATM owned by my bank. I use those to get cash to spend on groceries, etc.

If you must use plastic then use a Credit Card. It isnt directly linked to your bank account like a Debit Card is, and if there is a problem with a charge you have a big company to file a dispute with and who will go fight on your behalf. Just dont use it for more you can comfortably pay each month. Its relatively safe, and it builds your credit score.

[Tall Timbers]

Debit cards are evil. I try to never use them except at an ATM owned by my bank. I use those to get cash to spend on groceries, etc.

If you must use plastic then use a Credit Card. It isnt directly linked to your bank account like a Debit Card is, and if there is a problem with a charge you have a big company to file a dispute with and who will go fight on your behalf. Just dont use it for more you can comfortably pay each month. Its relatively safe, and it builds your credit score.

Amen. I use a credit card for everything. My main card has been compromised by bad guys three times. Didn't cost me a cent. The credit card company took care of it and sent me a new card each time. If I had to choose between a debit card or cash, I'd use cash. A credit card, though, gives me a layer of protection. Of course, that credit card bill gets paid in full each month.

[Jan51]

I live in Arizona which is the #1 state with the the most identity theft. I also work at a has station. There are people who leave small devices in the card reader at the pump that downloads all the information from transactions. When they are ready they just go collect their device and now have your info. Needless to say, I avoid paying at the pump as much as I can!

I had never heard of this before I read this post, but this week our local online paper has an article about such a device (they called it a "skimmer") being found in a gas pump at the Flying J after it malfunctioned and a technician opened it up. Comments under the article said this had also happened to someone at an ATM right at their bank. Another person added this: "There is even a device out there that can be attached to a radar type gun and point at you from up to 100 yards away and wirelessly obtain your information." I assume that means while you are doing a card transaction.

Amen. I use a credit card for everything. My main card has been compromised by bad guys three times. Didn't cost me a cent. The credit card company took care of it and sent me a new card each time. If I had to choose between a debit card or cash, I'd use cash. A credit card, though, gives me a layer of protection. Of course, that credit card bill gets paid in full each month.

We hardly ever use our credit card and do no online banking. One in a while I buy online and I try to find a number where I can call in my order so I don't have to give my CC# online, but that's not always possible. I buy from Amazon maybe once a year and unfortunately have to order online. "Coincidentally," after a recent Amazon purchase, 10 days later my CC company calls about a fraudulent use of my card, changes my account, and sends me a new card.

Then I needed some piano music that wasn't carried by my local store (which isn't really local but several hours away--it's my nearest music store). Being extra leery after the Amazon "coincidence," I found the books I wanted on SheetMusicPlus, but instead of ordering online and getting them in a couple days, I chose instead to order over the phone from my store and wait weeks, maybe a month, for them to order what I needed.

[Lynn]

Since we live in a rural area, at least an hour from a major shopping area, we order quite a bit online from Amazon mostly. A gal who works at our bank suggested that we open a special checking account to use for PayPal purchases with a very 'low' limit and our online shopping credit card also has very low limit. So far, it has worked for us. Our main bill paying account is never used for anything online, nor is our main credit card. We try to pay cash for gas unless we are at Murphy's Gas that accompanies some of the larger Wal-Marts. In order to obtain the discount on their gas, we purchase a Wal-Mart gift card every so often and use it like a credit card at the pump. When the card is empty, we start over.

[jjromero]

I have had my credit card information taken from me multiple times and almost every time it is traced back to gas stations. I must have the worst luck ever, or these crooks are very sneaky. If I start taking this advice and use cash only from now on to protect myself on daily transactions, then won't I also run a new risk by carrying a bunch of cash around with me all the time?

[Hootmon]

...won't I also run a new risk by carrying a bunch of cash around with me all the time?

How will anyone know?

Your chances of getting robbed will be exactly the same unless someone sees you waving a wad of cash around.