Tired of Crooks

[irishearl]

So, yesterday my bank's fraud alert system notified me that someone was attemtping to use my debit card # to purchase $170 of Lifelock protection. Second time in the last 6 months I've had to replace my debit card. Am somewhat amused, though, at the irony that someone pretending to be me was trying to obtain protection against identity theft. Apparently, even crooks need to protect against fraud.

 

[Briar Lee]

So, yesterday my bank's fraud alert system notified me that someone was attemtping to use my debit card # to purchase $170 of Lifelock protection. Second time in the last 6 months I've had to replace my debit card. Am somewhat amused, though, at the irony that someone pretending to be me was trying to obtain protection against identity theft. Apparently, even crooks need to protect against fraud.

Mine got hit to pay for a Facebook ad, and my bank stopped it.

I talked with the fraud prevention person and she said they didn’t want a Facebook ad, they were preparing to scam something that would benefit them.

Few scammers are caught but those few serve at least ten years hard federal time.

Last year I accidentally left my wallet at a truck stop.

I got it back without anything missing a few hours later.

Two months later a scammer charged a bunch of diesel at the pumps there.

Which likely was a clerk who quit.

The world is full of crooks, but you have to use a gun to get anyone very excited about putting a stop to it.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Let's tell a good feel story. Yesterday, My wallet fell out of my pocket at the grocery store. An older fellow looked at my license, hunted and found me to give it back. Unusual in today's world.

 

[anotherbob]

So, yesterday my bank's fraud alert system notified me that someone was attemtping to use my debit card # to purchase $170 of Lifelock protection. Second time in the last 6 months I've had to replace my debit card. Am somewhat amused, though, at the irony that someone pretending to be me was trying to obtain protection against identity theft. Apparently, even crooks need to protect against fraud.

Usually the first charge or two is just a test to make sure the account won't catch the fraud, before trying to buy the actual things they want.

 

[anotherbob]

Mine got hit to pay for a Facebook ad, and my bank stopped it.

I talked with the fraud prevention person and she said they didn’t want a Facebook ad, they were preparing to scam something that would benefit them.

Few scammers are caught but those few serve at least ten years hard federal time.

Last year I accidentally left my wallet at a truck stop.

I got it back without anything missing a few hours later.

Two months later a scammer charged a bunch of diesel at the pumps there.

Which likely was a clerk who quit.

The world is full of crooks, but you have to use a gun to get anyone very excited about putting a stop to it.

The one good thing about this kind of theft is that it has decreased by some demonstrable percent the amount of gun based theft. The bottom line is if it's harder to get caught it's more appealing to the thief.

 

[kcghost]

Crooks are everywhere so be careful with your credit card info.

 

[Briar Lee]

Usually the first charge or two is just a test to make sure the account won't catch the fraud, before trying to buy the actual things they want.

The irony is the services that serve to protect your information are mostly frauds themselves.

Try going to a bank and getting a loan on a piece of real estate you’ve forged a title to yourself.

They’ll do a title search and verify your name. You’d better have good credit, and a good photo ID.

And you’d best stock up on Vaseline because you are going to a place where you’ll meet new friends, and make new lovers.

 

[jpmcwjr]

So, yesterday my bank's fraud alert system notified me that someone was attemtping to use my debit card # to purchase $170 of Lifelock protection. << Snipped bits out >>

@irishearl How do you think they got the Debit Card numbers?

 

[thesmokindragon]

I have been using a Yubikey ( Series 5 gives you all the bells and whistles for $55. on Amazon ) for some time now, great/simple way to manage multi-layer defense.

 

[Pooh-Bah]

Last bit of fraud I remember was about six years ago, somebody used my card to purchase an account for Christian Mingle and some flowers.
My initial reaction was to chuckle and say "Thou shalt not steal?"

 

[thesmokindragon]

Use the force aka multi-factor authentication, even on PM they offer it...how many have it activated? -

 

[mikethompson]

Let's tell a good feel story. Yesterday, My wallet fell out of my pocket at the grocery store. An older fellow looked at my license, hunted and found me to give it back. Unusual in today's world.

Did he take all the cash out of your wallet though?

 

[sablebrush52]

When I turn in my studio owned gear I'll buy a Yubikey for my own set up. In the meantime I've set up two factor authentification on all accounts and use pass phrases rather than pass words, which are much harder to crack. All answers to security questions are lies, as well as other personal data which change from site to site. There are other security measures in place as well including monitoring services.

 

[sablebrush52]

The onslaught to online thuggery is growing every day. I blow away emails and texts every day. If I have even the slightest doubt it gets blown off without being opened. If someone is stupid enough, in this day and age, to send me an email that says "Hi!" without properly identifying the sender, don't be surprised if I don't open it.

My phone is set to send "unknown callers" straight to email, a lovely feature. Phone doesn't even ring.

 

[yanoJL]

... All answers to security questions are lies, as well as other personal data which change from site to site....

That's brilliant. I didn't even think of that.

Unrelated:
I was on the phone for 30 minutes convincing the fraud department at Chase that my recent meerschaum purchase from Altinay was legit.
Even legitimate purchases can be cumbersome because of fraud. Crooks make even simple things more of a hassle.

 

[anotherbob]

That's brilliant. I didn't even think of that.

Unrelated:
I was on the phone for 30 minutes convincing the fraud department at Chase that my recent meerschaum purchase from Altinay was legit.
Even legitimate purchases can be cumbersome because of fraud. Crooks make even simple things more of a hassle.

I have had that conversation with the bank before. Wouldn't have sucked so bad if I wasn't looking forward to getting groceries at the time. But I had to explain that yes I just got paid and ordered things from Sweden and England on the same day.
P.s. how old was he if anyone knows. He seemed very lively for someone with such white hair.

 

[K.E. Powell]

I'm sorry you had to go through that. In my experience, debit cards are particularly vulnerable to fraud. I rarely use mine because of that. I try to use whatever I can to keep my security up, and I check my card balance regularly to nip any nonsense in the bud.

 

[sablebrush52]

That's brilliant. I didn't even think of that.

Unrelated:
I was on the phone for 30 minutes convincing the fraud department at Chase that my recent meerschaum purchase from Altinay was legit.
Even legitimate purchases can be cumbersome because of fraud. Crooks make even simple things more of a hassle.

It's a pain in the ass, but I prefer my bank to be overly concerned than the opposite.

 

[sablebrush52]

One thing that I will do, if I suspect that my bank will have a question regarding a potential purchase, is to first call them and alert them to the purchase I am about to make, just like I alert them when and where I'll be traveling.

 

[irishearl]

@irishearl How do you think they got the Debit Card numbers?

No idea.