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Thread: How to protect your credit card?

  1. #1
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    How to protect your credit card?

    Just got a phone call message asking me to verify a purchase on my credit card using my name, and a 1-888 number to call back was given.
    I phoned the number on the back of my credit card, gave the verifications required to authenticate my query and there was a purchase made at 1am this morning that was not mine. The CC company is issuing me another CC.

    This is the first time that I have encountered CC fraud and I am grateful the CC company questioned it.
    Not sure where anyone got this CC number.

    What are the steps that you take to protect your CC?
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

  2. #2
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    For online and phone orders, I always use virtual account numbers. Been using them for 15+ years. Not much you can do in shops and restaurants. I use cash there. Grocery stores are about the only places I use my credit or debit card. No problems yet.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Rogar's Avatar
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    Do you have any idea where the fraudulent charge originated? I had a similar event a few months ago. The lady that I spoke with said that because the two suspect attempts were used in a suburb near-by, that it was a likely possibility a local merchant had had a skimmer in one of their payment machines. I have talked with a few about this, and one pretty sure fire method a couple of people have recommended is some sort of easy to use app that gives a notice on your cell phone minutes after each time the credit card is used, so you can basically catch an unauthorized charge real time.

    I don't carry a cell phone much of the time, so that doesn't work for me. Now I only use cash at restaurants and for gas, which seem like the most likely places to hijack a card number. I may start using checks for grocery purchases. That probably covers the majority of my local purchases.

    If your number was acquired from some sort of online purchase or a computer hack, the list of prevention probably gets longer and more complicated. At least for me. I am pretty selective about using a credit card number online and keep an anti virus/malware program up to date. I'd be interested in other ideas?

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    I have one specific credit card I use online. It only has $1,000 limit and I have requested it not be raised. So far, so good.

  5. #5
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    I like the way my credit card company sends me emails if suspicious activity takes place. Their algorithms identify "suspicious."

    Last week I got very official looking phising emails from not-PayPal (boy, those Nigerians have learned how to masquerade as the real thing!) and I didnt fall for that. But I did log into my PayPal account via normal means to find a message waiting there advising me that someone had used my PayPal account from "Bucharesti, Romania" and I needed to change my password.

    I did change my password since it was time to switch it up even though it was me who used the account while in Bucharest.
    Last edited by iris lilies; 10-28-17 at 3:28pm.

  6. #6
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    The agent did not indicate the source of the charge but I got the impression that it was out of town. I just did a quick search for the app, as mentioned above, on Apple store for notification of CC use and nothing came up. My phone is usually with me. I will have to ask my Credit Union about that. Never heard of a virtual account number so that is another question for my Credit Union. Online I usually use Paypal.
    Last edited by razz; 10-28-17 at 5:01pm.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

  7. #7
    Senior Member Rogar's Avatar
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    I seem to recall my friends saying their credit monitoring was through their an app or arrangement with their credit card company. It looks like this is how Visa does it. You credit union would probably know.
    https://usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/f...se-alerts.html

  8. #8
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    Thanks, Roger.
    Just checked the Visa site to see why I was not advised of the option.
    "Currently, the Visa Purchase Alerts Service is only available for cards issued in the U.S." Being Canadian, I am not eligible. Hmmm, have to raise that possibility to see what the barrier/s might be.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    I like the way my credit card company sends me emails if suspicious activity takes place. Their algorithms identify "suspicious."

    Last week I got very official looking phising emails from not-PayPal (boy, those Nigerians have learned how to masquerade as the real thing!) and I didnt fall for that. But I did log into my PayPal account via normal means to find a message waiting there advising me that someone had used my PayPal account from "Bucharesti, Romania" and I needed to change my password.

    I did change my password since it was time to switch it up even though it was me who used the account while in Bucharest.
    How did you use it while you were in Bucharest?
    I ask because I wonder if your internet connection had some sort of monitoring/keystroke logging thing going on, and the fake paypal was them trying to get the part of the transaction that was secured. (they saw you used paypal, but when HTTPS happened, they lost their window)

    I have had both my CC and DC information used. The first time my CC info was used, I found out a few months later when I tried to use my card and the company had canceled it, because my phone number had changed (they couldn't call me). That was around the time I changed to a cell phone.
    The next time, was my DC, and I had ordered a piece of equipment for my friends restaurant (they are not computer literate, don't take plastic). A week later, my card was tested via a small transaction via Lyft or one of those Uber clone services, and then they tried a larger charge. Larger charge was caught, smaller charge I made the claim on and was reversed. This was around the same time a local restaurant was hit, and 400 cards from my credit union were compromised.
    There are VERY few stores where I use plastic. No gas stations, grocery stores, or typically (one exception in my life so far) where I have used a card for ANYTHING that is used up/gone, before the bill/statement comes across the desk.
    My last fraud charge, was junk insurance (electronic gadget insurance), from some company I had never heard from, on a card that hadn't been activated, and they had used the 3 digit code on the back of the card. The CC company and I had a discussion about that, as AFAIK, the only way that info would be out there, on a not yet activated card in my possession, is for a breach on their end.
    One of my dealings, appear to have been a card processing company that was compromised. The other two I suspect employees.
    To minimize my risks as I generally only use plastic for online stuff, I do NOT allow (when possible, there is one company that has yet to implement it), the company to "save my card information for future use", as I want to manually enter the info every time. This limits the possibility of them losing my info, due to their lacks (spelling?) security.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Sad Eyed Lady's Avatar
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    I checked the Visa site too I got this message: Your financial institution offers a similar alerts service so this Card is not eligible for Visa Purchase Alerts.

    Please contact your financial institution to learn more about their service.


    I am in the US and VISA is the only credit card I have, so I was surprised it was not eligible.
    "Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in the midnight choir, I have tried in my way to be free." Leonard Cohen

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