Fraudulent credit card charges

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Drew99GT

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Wheeeeeeeeeeeeew, just found out I had 2 fraudulent charges on my card, and I was notified by the card company and they closed the account number and gave mew a new one. This is the 2nd time that's happened. The weird thing about this time is, someone changed the phone number on my account. Actually, the area code was changed, and one of the charges was for an I-Phone app (vumber.com) that allows you to use one phone number for all your various different phone numbers, as well as other things phone number related. That is weird. The only way someone could change the phone number associated with my credit card account is to know my online password/account number or know my social security number to be able to do it over the phone. Or it was someone internal in the credit card company.

I'm a bit freaked, so I had a fraud alert put on my credit report and I changed all my passwords for various accounts.

Does anyone have any clue about the phone number area code being changed? That is just really weird, especially since one of the fraudulent charges was for a smart phone app that has to do with phone numbers.
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I would push your credit card company to explain exactly how your phone number was changed. All transactions are logged. If an employee did it, they can tell which employee, if it done by an online logon they can tell that to and the IP address should be logged also. If they cannot explain it (might need a supervisor) then they do not take security very seriously and go else where.
 
That phone number business is extremely scary. I had fraud charges on my checking account 5-6 years ago when my online bank account got hacked, but the stuff that you describe is even more nutty.
I would take Donald's advice, call them, figure out more, and maybe take your business elsewhere.
 
You should call each one of your credit card companies and establish a "Pass-code" for protection.

Then whenever anyone, including yourself, calls the credit card company about anything related to your credit card account, they must first give the customer service rep the pass-code before anyone can access your information.

Password protect will insure that nobody can call up your credit card company, with your credit card information, to request a change in personal data, or to get a cash advance.

Make the Password protect code complicated.... with lots of numbers and names. Don't use your SS#, DL number, date of birth or anything else that people can obtain. Something like a really bizarre name with lots of numbers before and after will insure your privacy and safety.
 
Do you use itunes? Itunes is notorious for having unsecure connections dealing with credit cards. The mass state DA I believe is suing apple over it right now or something.
 
I've heard a good password string would be the first letter of each word in a sentence. Try and get some digits in there.

My Girlfriend Jenny Went to 2nd base on our 3rd date

MGJWT2BOO3D
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
That phone number business is extremely scary. I had fraud charges on my checking account 5-6 years ago when my online bank account got hacked, but the stuff that you describe is even more nutty.
I would take Donald's advice, call them, figure out more, and maybe take your business elsewhere.


I just got off the phone with them and had a password set for my account. They were able to confirm that the change in my phone number was accomplished by someone calling customer service, which means someone knows my Social Security Number and everything else.
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Is it possible to change your social security number??? I'm going to be adding fraud alerts on my credit file indefinitely from now on.
 
Your name and SSN are widely available on a variety of databases. The thing that is not, is your mother's maiden name, which is why banks will use it to verify your ID when you call. However, it doesn't take many brain cells to figure out someone's mother's maiden name from ancestry.com, and thieves are exploiting it.
 
Skid is correct... You SS# is very easy to find as well as most of your personal info... You just have to know where to look and maybe some software... My 16 yr old found all the wife and I info in 15min... With some help from one of his friends in Denmark he got our bank account #'s....


1yr ago... I made a grave mistake and ordered a subscription for Diesel Power Magazine online... and used my debit card... well... some where between my computer and their server... someone intercepted my debit card info... And went on a spending spree of 34K dollars before our local bank caught it... Ya we were slightly overdrawn... lol... anyway... the bank covered all the charges... Never heard anything again about it... I asked many times... but it seemed like a hush hush thing... Ya like our government trying to cover up who shot JFK!!

We very rarely use Credit Cards... never order anything from your phone or for your phone... I use my debit card only to 3 places and I have done business with them for more then 13yrs with never an issue... but... That doesn't mean that it won't... Only takes a smart 12yr old... and a computer or computers... believe me I know... I have seen it... Scary as ^%$@...

Don't Trust Know One!!! I have thought about looking into Life Lock but never have spent the time to look... I probably should...
 
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Good luck. May make sense to look into the Zander insurance plan as they can apparently do a lot for you if somthing bad does occur.

Mother's maiden name is likely easy if someone wants to look into you. Things like obituaries can help verify.

That said, at least for my CCs, that's all that is needed. Ive never been asked for an SSN. So while someone may have figured out your account, it does not mean they have everything.

Do change everything though, and use something that is more secure as account passwords.

good luck!
 
Drew thanks for the link about lifelock...What a joke... Just remember fellas... If the right people want to go after all your info..Or as referred to as everything... They Can Get It!! Don't be naive thinking they can't...
 
OK, this is getting super weird. One of the fraudulent charges was for starting an account to sell a boat on a used boat website. This morning I got a call inquiring about a boat I have for sale on said used boat website.
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I can't figure it out. Can any of you guys put 2 and 2 together? I had a hold put on my card but I'm thinking of just canceling the account all together.
 
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By the way, the most frustrating part about this entire experience is dealing with Indian call centers. I can't understand hardly a word they say.
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Usually the credit card vendor insists on closing the old account and starting a new one, with new account number. I also recommend that as the best approach. That way the fraud you encounted on the first day is all that gets by the system.
 
What they did was issue a new credit card number and a new card for the same account. I'm still thinking of just closing the account all together and starting over.
 
None of the companies I deal with would have done that. New account number, transfer valid charges to new account immediately, new PIN, etc. That minimizes their covered losses as well as immediately stopping the fraud on that account, because all new purchases are declined automatically - no open account.
 
New account number is the usual practice, you don't need to close the entire thing down.

Most banks will call you or ask you to call them to authorize large transaction (i.e. a couple thousand $). Just in case your card is stolen.
 
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