'Tis the season...for CC fraud

[happypill]

Woke up this morning to a text alert from Capital One.  Sometime overnight, someone spent $400 on makeup on my Venture card.  I haven't used that card much lately and it hasn't left my possession so not sure where someone could have stolen the info.  I contacted Capital One via chat and they took care of it in about 5 minutes, including expiditing a replacement card.

Just a reminder to everyone to keep an eye on their accounts as this seems to be the time of year where stuff like this happens more often.

[Anonymous]

Thieves often hang onto card #s for months before they use them. Or before they are sold to someone who uses them. Good thing you caught it quickly!

[Anonymous]

Yeah thieves wait until the holidays because people usually have unusual spending habits this time of year with all the holiday shopping so banks usually don't blink an eye if something unusual under $500 pops up on your charges whereas if it happened in June they'd probably call or email.

[dznen1]

Something similar happened to me about a month ago with Capital One.   I received an email from Capital One  saying my contact info had been successfully  updated. What?? I never changed my info!   I looked and someone had changed my address, and phone.  Thankfully,  my email was not changed, which , is how I  knew about the change.  I too, called. This was about 10 @ night.  The rep transferred me to the fraud dept. and they took care of it immediately, including closing out and issuing new cards.

Make sure your contact info has not been changed as well!!!!!!

[Creditplz]

My Blispay was hit last week! I guess this is fraud season !

[JayRizzo]

We've discussed the use of the Capital One Wallet app in another thread for those who have smartphones to lock the cards when not in use.  I actually unlock mine just before I make a purchase and after that puppy rings up, I immediately lock it back and sock-drawer the card.  Anyone with the app-lock engaged for Cap-1, Discover, or any other card with this feature "still" receive an alert that some funny business was going on?  Just curious about the effectiveness of these mobile apps.

[EW800]

It is indeed "tis the season" for credit card fraud to ramp up.  I have been hit twice in the last month - Barclay and CapOne.  I got a text alert from both and had the replacement cards quickly.  As others had mentioned, the account numbers could have been compromised either recently or many, many months ago.  No way of knowing.  

[AzaleaB]

I got hit also on my Chase Freedom card but it was caught by Chase - 200+ purchase at gas station 500 or so miles from where I live. I was impressed since I do travel but Chase said nope and declined it.

[xaustie]

My Fidelity Rewards card got hit for $250 yesterday for cosmetics at the "Red Square Internet", an internet cafe in South Africa. Elan blocked the charge. I have a new card coming. I only use this card for my regular monthly auto-pays. Trying to figure out who leaked my card info. My list is Ooma, Netflix, StraightTalk, MyFico (how ironic would that be!), Time Warner, BEST Dental, Hulu, CCT, TxTag, Austin Rowing Club and my local storage unit.

[Dalmus]

I read an article online earlier this month that proffesional ID thieves can figure out all the details they need in just seconds if all they have to start with is the first six digits of a card number.  It involves using "intelligent" bots on hundreds of e-commerce sites in succession to intelligently guess at verification data.  Its kind've creepy, really.

Maybe that's what's happening here... Especially to people who have cards that are SD'd.  The number was compromised months or longer ago, and it just made its way to somebody wanting to exploit it.

(The article can be found on Ars Technica)