Credit Card fraud - getting paranoid

Jack

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The last day and a half has been weird, not sure what to make of it.

The wife and I have two credit cards that we use regularly, a United Airlines Chase and a Southwest Chase card. Signed up for them because of bonuses and they're the two airlines we use to travel, so airline miles.

anyhow, yesterday afternoon I get a fraud alert text and email on my phone, asking me to verify a purchase at a Speedway gas station on the United card. Weird, we sometimes get gas at speedway, so I asked my wife. and she hadn't been to Speedway all week. So I texted back that it wasn't my purchase.

A few minutes later I got a call from a Chase fraud specialist, our card had been used at hotel in Wisconsin for $400, Speedway twice, for $120 and there were three $1 charges through a Square card reader. None of that was us. Wife and I both had our cards in our possession. (they're the same # and card, except for the name on the front) The Speedway where the card was used is only 15 mins from our home, but we haven't been to that location in a very long time.

All this is weird and I can't make sense of how it got compromised. We used that card very infrequently because we have a ton of airlines miles saved up on it, so we've used the SW as the primary card for the past 6 months. In the last month there was only one in person swipe and that was at a doctor's office. There were some recurring charges from Spotify and charges from Amazon, other than that nothing. Which makes card skimming unlikely.

Anyhow, Chase was helpful, they said they'd reverse the charges, close the account and I should get new cards on Tuesday. I tried asking the fraud guy, how this could have happened, but it was clear that he was just some guy in India reading a script.


Fast forward to this morning. I logged into my online Chase account to see if the fraudulent charges had been reversed (they hadn't yet). Then I checked my Southwest Card, and motherfucker was I pissed when I saw a $1,100 charge to Cabela's and $150 charge to 1-800-flowers. Called the Chase # on my card, told them the story about my United card, and that both SW cards were in our possession. He said that the purchases were made online. Then the same deal, reverse charges, close account, send out new cards.

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Now I'm paranoid, trying to figure out how both of our cards were compromised within a 24hr period. The only thing that comes to mind is that we had a party at our house two weeks ago for my brother in law's 40th surprise party. There were a few people that were invited from his work that I had never met before. The party was in the basement, but people regularly went into the garage to smoke. To get to the garage you have to go through the laundry room, where my wife kept her wallet in her purse on a coat hook. It's possible that someone took her cards out and cloned them. I would hate to think someone would do that, but that's about the only thing I can think of.
 

Jack

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i would generally suspect online stuff somehow, then again looks like your charges are local... and on 2 cards at the same time... party becomes a lot more suspect.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I could understand one of the cards being compromised, but two within a 24hr period raises serious flags. Either way, there's really no way for me to know or be able to prove it. I doubt Chase will even attempt to go after them.
 

Bob Kazamakis

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They clone cards easily. I had this happen on a card I ONLY use in person at the gas station. Went to a shady gas station because of the ridiculously low cost of fuel.....ended up someone using my "card" a few miles away at a target. One charge went through for like $450 and the other was flagged.
 

Jack

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is there a way to buy stuff at a gas station without having the card to swipe?

you can clone a card...

using a magstripe reader you copy the info from the magnetic stripe and create a duplicate card. it's fairly easy to do with tools and products available on the internet. The data in the magnetic strip on your card is not encrypted.
 

blck10th

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If it was stolen at the party that sucks.

I didn't know if t was worth it or not but I just bought a RFID wallet because all my cards have been getting the little chip. I have alerts on my cards for every online charge and anything over $50. I'm paranoid I know. I check my accounts once a week because people well suck!
 

bikrboy128

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i would probably get the cops involved since its local and have them review the video from the times the purchases were made at the gas station, i know its not alot of money but fuck those people for taking your card information, hopefully they can catch them

this. the hotel should have some info on who stayed, speedway should have cameras on their pumps/in store, and the online purchases need to be shipped somewhere.
 

Jack

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this. the hotel should have some info on who stayed, speedway should have cameras on their pumps/in store, and the online purchases need to be shipped somewhere.

The hotel charge eventually was declined, it was pending for a bit. I think they tried to reserve the room in advance, but didn't stay there. As for the online purchases, if they're smart they used a drop house. (i.e. an empty house for the delivery)

The gas station is really where they could be caught, but odds are the cops won't care and won't expend the resources to investigate a $120 theft. especially when the victim is the credit card company. I'm not out any money, so I'm not sure I'm a victim here. I have no proof that the cards were skimmed at my house, and have no idea who would have done it.
 

bikrboy128

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The gas station is really where they could be caught, but odds are the cops won't care and won't expend the resources to investigate a $120 theft.

you'd be surprised. credit card cloning is becoming a very big issue, and chances are your card isn't the only one they stole. i would do my best to nail that fucker to the wall even if i wasnt out any money
 

Jack

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and it get's weirder, Cabella's just called my wife regarding her order, asking for alternative forms of payment since the card was declined.

apparently the thieves got her cell phone number too. My wife fucked up and told the Cabella lady that our card's info was stolen before asking about the ship to address. The lady said that since this was a fraudulent transaction, she couldn't release that info. I got on the phone and after sweet talking her and telling her what happened with our cards, I got her to tell me that the ship to address was in Maryland.

Now I'm thinking that the credit card info had to have been compromised either on my wife's MacBook Air or on a website where she used both credit cards in the past. How else would they have gotten her cell phone number.
 

Yaj Yak

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and it get's weirder, Cabella's just called my wife regarding her order, asking for alternative forms of payment since the card was declined.

apparently the thieves got her cell phone number too. My wife fucked up and told the Cabella lady that our card's info was stolen before asking about the ship to address. The lady said that since this was a fraudulent transaction, she couldn't release that info. I got on the phone and after sweet talking her and telling her what happened with our cards, I got her to tell me that the ship to address was in Maryland.

Now I'm thinking that the credit card info had to have been compromised either on my wife's MacBook Air or on a website where she used both credit cards in the past. How else would they have gotten her cell phone number.

facebook or social media or something? perhaps email hack?
 

Dasfinc

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My wife had her Debit card compromised not long after switching to Chase. Same deal, purchase was in the UK, Chase flagged it, issued new card, refunded the transaction.

We called about it, and they were very dismissive about it, which was annoying, but obviously this is not uncommon...

We have TONS of alerts setup, and haven't had a problem since then like 3 years ago.
 
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