by Renita P.
Member since:
July 26, 2006

UGH Someone's using my Credit CARD!!!!

February 09, 2009 01:12 PM UTC
views: 0 | comments: 46

I'm so freaked out right now.  Someone got ahold of my credit card number and started using it to place phone orders.  Thank GOD we caught it early as the charges that were approved are under $100, but my bank placed a fraud alert on my account really fast. There was a denied charge for $287 that I have no idea what it was for. Then they ordered ProActive Solution products...which came to my home, which is how we caught the fraud! Why would they give MY address if they want the stuff?  Another charge is only $2.78 but the phone # listed gives a fast busy signal like it's not even a valid #.  $1 for itunes, which I verified my husband did not do. And then another $29.95 for some education thing that I have no idea what it is about. I called and their lines were too busy and I had to leave a message.  Ugh. So far, ProActive is refunding us and my credit card is now closed down. ARGGGGH.

 

Neither of us have lost our cards so I really have no idea how they got it, but it's not too hard these days. Just thank goodness it was stopped EARLY.

now I need to go check the rest of my accounts. *sigh*

Comments: 46

Nora D. Feb 9, 2009, 1:17pm UTC
Oh my gosh, that's horrible!!! I've had that happen, but with a bank/debit card.........it's sooo easy anymore, it's not even funny. Did you use a credit card maybe to eat out lately????? I was told that's the most common way, esp. if, at a restaurant, they have to take your card to another room/area to pay your bill......ughhhh! It's terrible how there's such a huge increase of that going on these days.....sure hope you can find out what's going on and who did it!
j - Frugal Mom - r. Feb 9, 2009, 1:18pm UTC
Wow, that is scary. Maybe it is someone, who lives close by, so they were planning on picking it up themselves....you never know. I sure am glad you guys caught it so early.
Deborah R. Feb 9, 2009, 1:19pm UTC
Renita, i am glad you caught this early and sorry that it has happened. It is sad to see this happen to anyone.
Sandra H. Feb 9, 2009, 1:20pm UTC
I am so sorry to hear this happened to you! Unfortunately, I hear too much of this lately. It really is a major pain in the butt to try and get it all straightened out, I'm sure!
Shirley ♡ ☮ M. Feb 9, 2009, 1:23pm UTC
This happens a lot. I had mine stolen last summer and thankfully I noticed it gone in a short time. I immediately called the CC company. They didn't get 1 cent out of my card. Sorry to hear someone was able to get your CC #.
Denise W. Feb 9, 2009, 1:23pm UTC
I am sorry to hear that is happening to you. Seems to be happening alot.
Teresa A. Feb 9, 2009, 1:33pm UTC
Glad you caught it quickly. I had that happen once.... it's a bummer
Cynthia T. Feb 9, 2009, 1:33pm UTC
wow, i'm glad you caught it in time. sounds like stuff a teenager would order like proactiv, education materials, and itunes. Sorry this happened to you.
Gessy D. Feb 9, 2009, 1:38pm UTC
Someone stole my identity twice already. He was caught and arrested. I didn't have to pay anything for the theft. Thank God.
Cecilia Lyne Feb 9, 2009, 1:44pm UTC
wow that stinks.....we had someone take $2,000 out of our checking account. It took months to get all of the $$$ back. :( Glad that you were able to catch it so fast.
Renita P. Feb 9, 2009, 1:45pm UTC
we shred EVERYTHING, even envelopes with just our address. I still don't get why they'd have the items shipped to my home though. By the amounts, it does seem more like a kids prank or something. I mean, if you're gonna steal, make it worth while, ya know?
Rebecca P. Feb 9, 2009, 1:49pm UTC
Sorry they got ahold of your credit card, but I'm glad you caught them in time.
Elizabeth H. Feb 9, 2009, 1:51pm UTC
Glad you caught it early. Hope everything works out ok and nothing bad happens.
Marilyn M. Feb 9, 2009, 1:51pm UTC
How horrible. Glad you caught it early.
Candy S. Feb 9, 2009, 1:52pm UTC
how scary I am sorry this happened to you
.* Sandi * Feb 9, 2009, 2:00pm UTC
oh i am sooo sorry this happen to you
glad you caught it in time
I am glad you caught it early.
Stacey Mamasaid Feb 9, 2009, 3:33pm UTC
How awful!! This happened to me once - games were charged on my card and none of us are gamers, so it was a no-brainer. I managed to get the charges wiped off and thankfully, none others were made. I finally figured out the number was "swiped" at a local toy store and it seems one of the employees was doing this to feed his war games fetish. The store is now going out of business...

Hope all this is settled and done for you - what a horrible hassle!
Claudia B. Feb 9, 2009, 3:38pm UTC
It is becoming very common, unfortunately. Good thing you discovered the problem early on. Did you also notify any of the credit bureaus, they offer a 90 day fraud alert for free. Call one of them and they'll notify the other two!
Kelly K ~God is Good All the Time ~ Feb 9, 2009, 3:44pm UTC
so glad it was caught early. This happend to us. I ordered something from the internet
3 yrs ago and the Company kept my CC # and used it to purchase things in my name.
thank goodness our Bank helped out :)
DesertDarlene L. Feb 9, 2009, 3:46pm UTC
I had that happen to me when someone managed to get into my wallet at a gym. They took only one card and a small amount of cash, so I didn't notice until I got a call from the credit card company. Luckily, I rarely use my credit card and it was mostly for car-related expenses, so the sudden spending looked weird. They tried to charge over $1000, but got denied for all but a couple hundred. I didn't have to pay anything, but I did have to get a notarized statement and fill out a police report.
Ariel Storm Feb 9, 2009, 4:25pm UTC
I'm glad that you caught it early. Be sure and report it to the police and to the credit bureaus.
Cyndi B. Feb 9, 2009, 6:02pm UTC
This happened to us not long ago, I know the feeling! I am so sorry this happened to you all. Did you purchase anything on-line in the past few weeks? I purchased photos through walmart.com and picked them up in the store. The thief stole my credit card/debit card info from their website and spent over $3,500 out of our checking account placing our checking account into the negative - thankfully the bank reimbursed all the money and they placed stops on the new charges coming through. The person was purchasing laptops and electronics at WalMart and a photo/electronic store out of NY and having the products shipped to them. They used my address for the billing address.

Make sure you continue to watch your credit reports for awhile. Not long after I caught all this mess, my info was then used to sign up for a new credit line at an online school for English as a second language classes. My brother-in-law (a PI in Boston) said that people don't need your SS# to steal your identity - they only need a few basic items then all they have to do is search for your info online - you can even purchase peoples SS#'s online!
Michelle W. Feb 9, 2009, 6:05pm UTC
I saw some small charges on my checking account using my debit card a couple of months ago, one to VistaPrint for business cards I did not order and one for something else. The cards came to my house with all my info but someone else's email address on them. I did get the money refunded from the bank and canceled my card. I got a new card in the mail about a week later.
Renita P. Feb 9, 2009, 6:17pm UTC
My computer tech, who just repaired our laptop said the virus it got MAY have caused this. The weird thing is that the virus was on the laptop and hasn't been used in a month or more. I usually only make purchases on my desktop because I've heard they are more "secure." So. ??? And, why would they wait a month to use it? That didn't make sense. I'll definitely be placing a fraud alert and watching my credit reports for a while. grrr Just such a hassle. This is why I don't use debit cards though - it's much more of a hassle to get everything straightened out.
Sharla H. Feb 9, 2009, 8:53pm UTC
That happened to my son when he was 18 in fact the day he turned 18 we got a letter about a return check from Walmart and he never goes to Walmart and he never writes a check at Walmart if he did go there because he has always used his debit card. Took forever to get all of this straightened out.
Tracy Fabre Feb 9, 2009, 10:31pm UTC
Gaaaahh indeed... sorry to hear this. Lucky the banks are paying closer attention these days ~
Netty B. Feb 10, 2009, 6:00pm UTC
Oh my gosh R.P.! So sorry this happened to you, but so glad you caught it quickly!
Netty B. Feb 10, 2009, 6:00pm UTC
Thanks for posting to ~3,000 Here We Come!~
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MyHotComments.com
Oh, wow, that would suck! I'm glad you guys were able to catch it quickly. :(

I get freaked out when I can't find my cards in my purse, because I tend to just drop them in. I've never actually lost one, but there have been times I thought I had.
maria c. Feb 10, 2009, 6:15pm UTC
Sorry to heat this..So happy you caught this before damage was done..
I also had this happen to me..

First week I was online...I gave out my credit number online thinking it was AOL asking for information..I had no idea it was a scam..I was so new : (
Then my credit card came in..
I found out I was supporting 6 high speed Earthlink accounts ..!!
I couldn't even afford the high speed connection for myself..
I told my credit card company..but,Earthlink would not give them or me any information about the Earthlink accounts I was supporting..
Earthlink backed up the account holders even though they stole my credit card : (
The best I could was just stop my credit card company from all transactions..Which stopped my card being used for Earthlink..
Nanci M. Feb 11, 2009, 8:39am UTC
Hope everything is cleared up soon!
THE POINTS DEPOT
Elizabeth S. Feb 11, 2009, 8:52pm UTC
It's happened to me, too. Fortunately, my thief just bought one thing because I was too close to my spending limit for her to get anywhere. The credit card company; however, was a real pain.
Dawn S. Feb 11, 2009, 11:57pm UTC
was this a check/debit card or a real credit card. be sure you check for the probability of missing checks. hope the cops can help track these theives down. sorry this happened.
Nancy Biri Feb 12, 2009, 5:40pm UTC
Here to lend a helping hand
HELPING HANDS
Ashley Mitschke Feb 13, 2009, 1:19pm UTC
That's horrible! You can never be too careful :(
Megan R. Feb 15, 2009, 4:50pm UTC
very frustrating, but good that you caught it early
Chris L Feb 16, 2009, 11:27am UTC
I'm glad that you caught it early!
Solskin Iam Feb 24, 2009, 11:32am UTC
charges on my card was my wake up call today.....
Dana W. Mar 12, 2009, 11:31pm UTC
This is to let you know you have been polofied to the max of 25. Thank you so much for sharing with Marco Polofied
Missy Cline Mar 17, 2009, 2:41am UTC
glad u caught it so fast!!
Gene P. Mar 30, 2009, 2:59am UTC
Thanks for posting your content to the group Whatever!

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