Hit by Card Fraud

[SoCalTim]

Well, for the first time I can remember I got hit with some fraudulent transactions on my bank account.

Luckily I check my account on a daily basis, thanks to easy online banking access, so I caught 6 separate transactions that were actioned today and in the 'pending' stage :doh:

Nipped it straight in the bud and got my card cancelled, the money credited back to my account, and the transactions disputed. Thank goodness for 24/7 fraud help line support.

I like to use Amazon, Ebay, Paypal etc...so it makes me wonder which source I'm leaving myself vulnerable on.

As of tomorrow I'll be installing a fresh Anti Virus update and limit the amount of online accounts I have my card information stored on. Its so easy these days with '1-Click Ordering' ... but going forward I'll just manually put my card details in rather than storing any card info.

I know that debit/credit card fraud is super common with the popularity of purchasing goods online, but for me this is the first time I have been bitten. I want to try and cover my back as much as possible going forward.

Any one else with experiences/advice on card information protection?

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[Gooner86]

If you use your card at any stores, gas stations, or ATM's it most likely got compromised at one of those places via skimmer. Very unlikely that you had a virus that stole your CC info.

Online shopping is a lot safer than physically swiping your card somewhere, or handing it to a clerk behind a register.

 

[SoCalTim]

I use my card(s) for 90% of my daily purchases. Very rarely do I keep much cash in my wallet, with the ease of being able to swipe and pay for anything these days (even a $1 bottle of soda from the store)

Going forward I will be extra vigilant with any ATMs or card readers such as gas stations for skimming devices. I've read a couple of articles about skimming this evening, so in the future I have some good clues on what to look out for when using any kind of card reader machine.

 

[bscn8c]

If you use your card at any stores, gas stations, or ATM's it most likely got compromised at one of those places via skimmer. Very unlikely that you had a virus that stole your CC info.

Online shopping is a lot safer than physically swiping your card somewhere, or handing it to a clerk behind a register.

Yep, either this or a random number generator. I've had both happen to me. I've had my card cancelled 3 times, always the same card too. But the credit card company always catches it immediately, blocks the purchase, and calls/emails/texts me (usually all 3 at once) if they think there are fraudulent charges. Only takes 2 minutes to fix, but then I have to wait a week for a new card...

Most likely won't hurt you at all in the long run, but you could try checking out Credit Karma just to be safe. An account is free and updated monthly.

 

[myjaja]

Just wondering, did you recently make a purchase from Americanmuscle?

 

[SoCalTim]

Just wondering, did you recently make a purchase from Americanmuscle?

Yes. I made a purchase 2 days ago.

 

[myjaja]

Yes. I made a purchase 2 days ago.

Same thing happened to me. I used a credit card that I pretty much never use on americanmuscle and a whole bunch of purchases tried to go through from all over the world but they all got rejected. The only other transaction I made before that was at mcdonalds like 2 months before this happened.

 

[SoCalTim]

Same thing happened to me. I used a credit card that I pretty much never use on americanmuscle and a whole bunch of purchases tried to go through from all over the world but they all got rejected. The only other transaction I made before that was at mcdonalds like 2 months before this happened.

Sounds like they may have had their website hacked.

Too much of a co-incidence that we both got hit with card fraud shortly after making a purchase from their website.

 

[myjaja]

Sounds like they may have had their website hacked.

Too much of a co-incidence that we both got hit with card fraud shortly after making a purchase from their website.

Oh I'm sure of it. Im just glad my credit card limit isn't very high on that one card so all those big purchases they tried making just seemed too weird to the credit card company and they stopped all those transactions from happening. Im really glad they did and this is the first credit card fraud thats happened to me as well. People need to beware of purchasing from americanmuscle until they get that fixed.

 

[SoCalTim]

Absolutely.

I just sent an email to American Muscle customer service to notify them. Hopefully their internet team will be able to resolve the security breach!

I won't be buying anything else from the AM website until I hear back from them.

 

[Jackie Chan]

After i got hit a few years ago and my checking account was a mess until all of the wonky fake transactions were dropped, I only use a credit card for buying things. Ill let the cc company worry about getting their money back while mine is in the bank.

 

[ForTheHordeKT]

You know, the more I read these stories, the more I'm inclined to just go out and buy one of those Visa gift cards in order to make internet purchases. May require more pre-planning and a trip to a store first rather than just instantly doing it from the comfort of your home right when you decide to make your purchase. But it seems like it'd save a whole lot of headache if it got breached. They can try to run charges on something that only has a few bucks left on it all they want for all I care.

 

[SoCalTim]

You know, the more I read these stories, the more I'm inclined to just go out and buy one of those Visa gift cards in order to make internet purchases.

Honestly, the banks have your back and you don't lose money in these situations...the only hassle is getting the bank card replaced.

This was my first time as the victim of card fraud, and 5 mins on the phone to the bank had the situation under control. They credited the money back into my account for all 6 transactions without any hassle.

 

[daltron]

Honestly, nothing you can do. I went through a few years around 2012 where I had multiple cards get fraudulent purchases. Sony, Target, Home Depot, etc hacks and just unlucky. Any decent bank or credit card company will immediately refund you. Don't worry about it.

As for your computer, I do IT for a living and the best thing I found is Malwarebytes. Find a lifetime CD key on eBay and you are set.

 

[AMChrisRose]

Any time you guys need our immediate attention, PM AMAlexLazarus know so that we can get to it right away!

I want to start by saying that any orders you placed on our site don't allow any of our employees access to your credit card number. In fact, your credit card information isn't even saved, but instead it's converted into a "token" with our payment processing company that allows us to charge it solely on our store if you choose to do so. Nobody can go in and look at your credit card number, etc.

Separately, we have an SSL connection in our online checkout and we're constantly monitoring our site for any sort of cyber attacks. We haven't had any activity like that and your credit card is absolutely safe when you buy your parts from us. Our business is PCI compliant and your data is secure.

I think in this scenario we're looking at a coincidence. Our site hasn't been hacked, but we still do appreciate you bringing this to our attention as it's always good to do a thorough check even if we're constantly monitoring.

Sorry to hear that you're having an issue with your card. I agree with daltron above. It's a good idea to check for malware that could be intercepting your CC#. Also, hit me up if you need absolutely anything or have any questions. I can elaborate on this if you need more info...

Have a great weekend guys!

Chris

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