Victim of data theft?
Find a Conversation
| Wed, 03-29-2006 - 6:32pm |
Today, I went to my check my P.O. Box, and my bank had sent me a letter. Inside was a new debit card. I thought that was odd since my existing card didn't expire until 2007. Then I saw the letter tucked in behind the card. Apparently, my debit card number was on a list of cardholders who have apparently had their information stolen. This information was reported to my bank from VISA USA, and they were issuing me the card to prevent any problems to my account. I activated it right there in there in the post office, and when I got home, I checked my account online, and nothing was amiss. All the activity on my account was done by me...no one else, thank goodness.
So, am I ok? Does anyone know? If someone makes a fake debit card with my old card number and MY name, will I end up with stuff showing up on my credit report as delinquent? End up with credit problems or troubles with the law if someone buys something using my old card number and it doesn't 'go through'?? Should I do anything other than just holding onto the letter to show it to anyone who might need to see it?
This really got me scared. I never thought something like this would affect me. I looked online, and I saw something about OfficeMax possibly having data stolen, and possibly Sam's Club also. I shopped at OfficeMax probably a year ago, but I don't shop at Sam's at all. Visa is not releasing the name of the company just yet because they have an investigation going on.
I'm really considering going to an all cash system due to this, but then I got to thinking that if I went to my bank's ATM to take out cash, would THEY get hacked too?? Maybe I could make purchases on my normal credit card and then transfer the money via my bank's website to cover each purchase as it's made? Maybe I'm thinking too much tonight. LOL! :-D
Anyone else affected by this? They say it could possibly impact 22 million VISA check card holders.
Pat :-D

Pat,
Unfortunately this is something that is not uncommon. I was a President of a Bank and my debit card was "compromised" and Visa notified my institution in the same manner. You could keep the letter but it really won't be necessary. Just keep an eye on your bank account (i.e. Balance your check book monthly and keep your reciepts to reconcile or view online periodically) Most likely you won't see any unauthorized transactions since your orignial card was closed and a new one reissued. (This is a safety precaution)
If you notice any transactions that you did not authorize, notify your bank IN WRITING as soon as possible. Most likely you will have $0-$50 liablity if you notify them in a "reasonable" amount of time, usually 30 days after your statement ends. Depending on your bank's guidelines they may provide "provision" credit during the investigation period or not.
You are wise to consider "cash only". Even ATMs are not 100% safe. Criminals have learned how to attach "false" devices that capture card information and pin #s. I love technology but criminals have much more "free" time than I do to stay a step ahead. Visa ususally doesn't disclose which merchants were affected as it could damage that merchant's profits and they don't want to be liable.
Be cautious. If I can help in anyway, feel free to email me through my profile.
Susan
<ahref="http://www.TickerFactory.com/debt/wJLmWvM/"><imgborder="0"src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wJLmWvM/debt.png"></a>
Thanks Susan! I really appreciate you writing and giving me some tips on what to do. I called my bank this evening and asked what I should do now, and they said to watch my accounts, although my old card should have been cancelled as soon as the new one was activated. She also said to watch my credit reports and keep their letter close at hand in case I ever need to show it to someone. She said that the bank has a system set up that would notice any strange purchases and upon seeing that, the bank would automatically freeze my accounts and notify me. On one hand, that's comforting, and on the other hand, it's scary that I might be buying something that I normally don't (such as furniture), and have my transaction refused and my accounts frozen over it. LOL! :-D I'm just thankful that my accounts haven't been messed with so far. Hopefully they won't be now that I have the new card. :-D
Since you have a banking background, what way do you think would be the safest to get cash for purchases? An ATM (maybe at my normal local branch office), or would it be safer to go inside the bank and write a check out to 'cash' and hand it to the bank teller? My Mom goes to the bank every two weeks and writes a check out to 'cash' for all the money she'll need to pay for groceries, meals out, gas, etc, and pays everything in cash, other than bills, which she pays by check.
I'm really unsure if I should even pay my bills online anymore with all of these companies being hacked lately. Then again, a check in the mail isn't that much safer either. LOL!
I do find some comfort in knowing that I'm not alone in this and that others have gone through it before and not had their accounts tampered with. I guess it just bugs me that, according to the letter from my bank, there could be someone out there with a fake card that has my name on it, and they're trying to pass themselves off as ME!
Thanks again for the support :-D
Pat :-D
My gut reaction is that everything will be fine...the bank already cancelled the card, and are aware of the problem. My visa number was used by someone in Nigeria last fall, and the cc company was all over it, and alerted me to it, and did not allow the purchase to go through. It was a card i had never used for purchases, so the bank easily saw that something could be amiss. they cancelled my account and sent me new cards, too, but because someone had actually used the card, i also contacted the police department and filled out a police report. In addition to that, I had a "fraud alert" tagged on my credit report, in case it was anything other than a random computer generated lucky guess, but it turned out to be all right.
By the way, check transactions are handled more in the proof department than debits, at least where my dh works, so i would think it would dtill be safer to take the money from the ATM.
I would just keep an eye on your credit report.
Heather
Hello,
If you are worried about an ATM being hacked, by all means go to the teller and cash a check. It's unlikely that your information would be compromised at the teller window of your bank.
My DH received a similar letter about credit card information that was compromised. The old account was closed and *no charges* were allowed to the old card. I had forgotten to change one account that was charging the old card and the charges were rejected as "lost or stolen card".
I noticed at one of the restaurants I visit, that their receipts showed the whole card number & expiration date on it. I notified them that unless they changed that charging system (someone could go trash-diving!) that I would no longer be visiting them. Of course, I could have paid cash to eat there, but I wanted them to understand that having the full number show up on the receipt (and the store copy!) was a very bad thing..!
Sincerely,
Lindsey Schocke
Sincerely,
Lindsey Schocke
Geeks on Tap: Mission Accomplished
It's also now illegal I believe to generate receipts w/the entire number on them. The merchant needs to replace their machine. I think they can leave the entire number on their copy but they have to give you a copy with the numbers blocked. This is NOT true in foreign countries though so if you travel internationally (I have to remember this when I am in Puerto Rico for business) you need to be very concious of keeping track of your receipts. You could probably report the restaurant to your Visa provider if you were so inclined.
Peg
i wanted to add my thoughts about online shopping and banking.
last christmas i planned to do alot of online shopping, since all of our family lives out of state. well, my computer crashed.
so i spent alot of time on the comp at the library, making my shopping lists...then i called the 1-800 # and did it that way.
when my comp came back and was fixed, we learned that not only were there all sorts of viruses on it, but a key-logger too.
that really gave me the creeps!
if my comp hadn't crashed, it is very likely someone could have gotten my #.
every time i go to the bank, they ask if i've thought about online banking (i guess they are trying to train us so no live people work there!-like they're training us at walmart to check ourselves out)
i will not bank online, i've been robbed enough withou exposing myself to it there too
Good idea about changing our passwords every 3-6 months. I'm thinking the problem with my debit card was that I usually have it processed as a "credit" transaction, rather than a "debit" one. My bank used to charge $2.00 for every debit transaction made at a store or business, so out of habit, I usually just say, "It's credit" to the cashier when I use my debit card. At least this is what I 'think' might have led to the problem, since my card number was apparently on a list given to my bank by Visa USA.
Since receiving that letter and my new debit card, I have been on a cash-only system. I went to my bank and walked inside to hand the bank teller my check written out to 'cash', and I now have all the cash I need to run all my local errands for this upcoming week. I've gotten a few email alerts that some online bills are ready for review, but I am not rushing to pay them. I'll wait until I receive the paper version and mail in a check. No more online bill-paying for me. I know checks are not exactly safe either, but I've used checks for 15 years to pay my bills, since I've been out on my own, and I've never had my account accessed by a hacker. LOL! :-D
Sometimes it's just better to do things that old-fashioned way, I suppose. :-D
Pat :-D