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I got robbed....almost

Fetal

Shared on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 19:00

My debit card company called me this evening and asked me if my $275 purchase online to some geneology site was legit. I'm glad they called to ask me because asides from my 360, I've never made a purchase over $70 with my debit card. While this is disheartening, the transaction was not applied to my account so in actuality I suffered very little from this attempted theft.

What I do find interesting is how my debit card information was garnered. I have never used my debit card for anything other than person to person transactions and the occasional ATM. Generally I use my credit card for online purchases and if I am away from home because it is insured for theft. I collect every receipt from every transaction, ATM included and shred them at home. The one exception to this rule is I have used my debit card for my XBox live account.

This is noteworthy because the geneology pruchase was made 4 days ago, and sure enough, 5 days ago I purchased $25 in points via my 360. Asides from this transaction the only other one I have made using the debit card was on the 5th of this month for $20 in gas, and I still have the receipt in my wallet. I find it an interesting coincidence. Does anyone know if it is possible for your info to be phished off of your console?

I am in no way blaming XBox for this. It could just as well be some cashier at the gas station or some other company I've used my card at who stole the information. This is probably what occurred. But since this happened to me, I am questioning the security of everything.

If anyone has any information, or advice, it would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

Fetal's picture
Submitted by Fetal on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 19:37
no, never answered any e-mails
LB75Player's picture
Submitted by LB75Player on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 20:01
You;re not alone Fetal. I got the call today from my bank. 2 purchases, one for $529 and another for $619, both made online. I am so pissed off right now I'm shaking. Being on hold for 15 minutes with one of the companies the scumbag ordered from isn't helping my mood either.
OldManRiver48's picture
Submitted by OldManRiver48 on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 20:54
Sorry to hear that news, disturbing. I think Tank is on the money, my bank recently put more security info on their site where before the 15th of Jan. you had to put some security questions/answers to be able to access your account after that date. Looks like the problem is getting worse. :(
deucedriver's picture
Submitted by deucedriver on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 21:27
May have been the gas station. As mentioned above, fake machine fronts are common. Near my house, a few gas stations and their customers were victims of this fraud. The criminals would pull up and put a fake front on the card slot, then circle back some time later (typically under 30 minutes). They would detach their fake front which now held the card number and pin of everyone who attempted to use the pump. They then downloaded the info onto expired Starbucks cards and were then using them around our area to buy gas and other stuff. Obviously they were finally caught.
LB75Player's picture
Submitted by LB75Player on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 21:39
Oddly enough, I just updated my account info with XBOX Live earlier this week. The two sites that whoever stole my number ordered from required the 3 digit code off the back of the card. I can see them getting the card number, but how would they get the CID off the back?
CrypticCat's picture
Submitted by CrypticCat on Sat, 12/16/2006 - 22:07
In the Netherlands, it's actually safer to use a CC on-line than in the wild. I don't use mine in the wild, for that I use my regular pin-card. Yes, the data it contains can still be stolen, but it can't be used to buy stuff on-line and the pin-card is only as valuable as the money that is in my account. I can't be bankrupted if my pin-card data is stolen. (phew) Anyway, I suspect that on-line transactions are safer for you aswell, and that the theft occured when you used your CC in the wild, thus, at that gas-station. I would do some informing there, maybe they had gotten more reports from victimized costumers there..?
TheCrazyPerson's picture
Submitted by TheCrazyPerson on Sun, 12/17/2006 - 01:15
Hey give me back the ketchup!
biorod's picture
Submitted by biorod on Tue, 01/09/2007 - 14:22
Do you shred all of your receipts and not just toss them in the trash?
Fetal's picture
Submitted by Fetal on Sat, 01/13/2007 - 04:56
yes...i have a shredder, i bought him when i got my michaelangelo and leonardo.
Falelorn's picture
Submitted by Falelorn on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 19:02
very easy for them to use ATM/Debit machines (even at banks) to nab it.. Fake machine fronts are very common
eksessiv's picture
Submitted by eksessiv on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 19:04
The orges have had their account hacked several times through X Box live. The only way to do that is to know the info.
meemoos's picture
Submitted by meemoos on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 19:19
It happened to me--the restaurant I ate at used the "merchant" copy and tried to buy ALOT of things on-line and over the phone (thank goodness I was in college and ALWAYS over-drawn). The other people were NOT so lucky.
TANK's picture
Submitted by TANK on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 19:27
All credit card transactinos today no matter where you use them go over the internet at some point. I would imagine though that out of Live and the gas station, the 'leak' is more likely to have been done at the gas station. YOu didn't respond to any emails from your bank asking you to verify your account info have you? Those are always phishing emails taking you to fake sites no matter how legit they look. Your bank will never send you an email asking you to verify personal or account information.

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