The only issue I had with BofA is that the fraud department once called me to verify an unusual charge ($900 for camera equipment) but didn’t first verifymy name when I answered the phone. They just asked the last 4 digits of the card number and while it didn’t seem familiar, I don’t really have my card numbers memorized. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to ask some more questions-- I remember asking where the charge originated, and when they said New York… I then told them my name and asked whether they were calling about my card or my daughter’s card. Turned out that they were calling my phone number to verify my D’s account. (Since my daughter had that particular credit card since she was 8 years old, that would have been correct at one time, but by the time they were calling it was years past the time my D.lived at home.)
So yeah, the charge was valid, I told them my d’s phone number and then called my daughter so she could call in and verify, if indeed it was her charge. (It was, and yes IMHO she was paying way too much for a camera… but it’s her money).
I once had several small (less than 1.00) charges made to my husband’s debit card at an ATM in Thailand, followed by a large withdrawal of about $1,000. The scary part was that the thief used DH’s pin #. Fortunately it was refunded by the bank.
I once found a credit card in the parking lot of a place when I showed up for a job interview. I turned it into the receptionist, only to find out that the person whose name was on the card was on the interview committee. She thanked me profusely ( and yes, I got the job).
Friend of mine at work had a pretty sizeable credit card fraud with a B of A account, that was obviously credit card fraud (my friend lives in NJ, has for years, about 10k of electronic stuff was charged and shipped to some town in North Carolina), and they gave him a hard time about it, trying to prove he must have a friend in North Carolina who bought the stuff and so forth. I haven’t had that experience, I have had fraud with Amex (someone in India buying crap from Microsoft business services,), with Chase, and they handled it, no hassles, got new cards. Amex is really good these days, when stuff gets charged without the card I am notified automatically and can immediately tell them to shut it down if it looks fraudulent, wish my other cards had that.
The fraud itself happens many ways,everything from people at stores and restaurants stealing card numbers and the safety number, skimmers on ATM machines and vending machines. The cards with the ‘blink’ stuff where you tap the card have rfid, and that can be picked off if someone is close enough to the card. It can also be stolen if you leave your card number on a website for future purchases. What is worse is a lot of places processing credit cards have absolutely shameful security, some card providers for example have things like the secret code (the 3 or 4 digit number on a credit card, that far too many places don’t ask for, especially online) in human readable form, or even things like pin numbers on ATM cards (citibank got caught with that one several years ago, really smart). Vendors are finally going to the ‘chipped’ cards, which will help prevent people from creating fraudulent cards to be used in person (cards without the chip can be replicated once the scammer has all the data, the chip currently is not), but a lot of places still don’t use that.
Annoying bank of the day - went to my Citibank ATM to deposit checks (yeah, I know I should get the mobile check app). I deposited check 1, goes through. I stacked about 6-7 more checks totaling ~$700 and feed it through as normal. It eats my checks, refuses to give them back, flashes a message it can’t process them, and refuses to release my card! Argh! They now have an “investigation” underway - I guess they freeze the machine and look at the checks inside and figure out which are mine. Not a happy camper - one more thing to deal with!
^ @Pizzagirl - my kids have been after me for months to use the mobile check app and I kept waiving them off. Your story just convinced me! Maybe this means it will be a rare occasion when I go to the bank from now on…
H’s card disappeared into a bank ATM after hours and when he went there the next day they told him that they shred all cards that get stuck in the machine for safety purposes. He had to wait for a new one to come in the mail which isn’t bad compared to shredded checks!
People who steal/buy stolen credit/debit card numbers often times run a small charge through to see if the numbers are still valid. If so, they then run through larger charges. Those small charges often give banks/issuers a chance to find the fraud.
Its been a while since I have been inside a bank. All ATMs and online payments for me for years.
A man caught in the airport today with more than 700 fraudulent cards! He was flying from New Orleans to Houston. He could have driven there in 5-6 hours but let’s be grateful he decided to fly and the TSA caught something suspicious in his bags.
My husband watches our charge cards like a hawk. He’s caught those ‘small charge’ instances a few times. Some gas station purchases in Detroit one time. Something else another time from somewhere in TX. Small stuff. Like cigarettes or snack food.
Years ago, I signed up for an AT&T Universal card. Received a call from the cc company asking me to pay my bill. Nearly $4k! I told the rep - funny thing you called - I never received the card. So the cc rep without hesitation said she was switching me to the fraud department. Talked to that person who took info. Never charged us anything. I think I had to fill out something. Contacted us a few times over the following months. Turns out that someone at the Post Office (at a regional sorting facility, not our local office) was collecting the cards and later the PIN numbers and matched them up and sold the card/PIN. It was quite the ring. When the 4 page bill came in the mail that detailed all the transactions, I was both sick to my stomach and furious. I really felt violated. All the charges were in Virginia Beach. This was in the very early 1990s. I believe the FBI and/or the Secret Service became involved. (postal fraud). It was a big deal at the time.
There are limits on how much you can be required to pay in connection with unauthorized use. And many issuers will waive those limits. Want to be sure to report as soon as you know of the issue.
It works for me, so far.