Comenity Williams Sonoma (edit: Synchrony Amazon, Discover IT too!) fraud alert

[Anonymous]

Just got an email that someone changed my email address on my Comenity WS Store Card.  I used a different computer and went directly to the comenity website and it wouldn't let me log in using my user name, either.

I called Comenity and they changed my shipping address as well as all my information and requested a new card.  Some scammers in the Bronx.

Just wanted to let others know that Comenity was awesome on the phone (fraud department) even on a Sunday!

[Meanmchine]

Lets review this for a moment.  Someone.....

a) called into WS and told them their card was stolen/lost and needed a new card

b) at the same time changd the email addr

c) changed the address

d) and most likely changed the phone number

ALL THIS and no red warning lights went off at Comenity??

For the record, I had scammers do this to me 3x on my Walmart card. Bank security systems are almost useless at times

Good thing you caught it ABCD

[HeavenOhio]

@Anonymous, now that you have access again, make sure you change your password to something that's really, really good. And set up two-factor authentication if you haven't done so already.

[Anonymous]

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@HeavenOhio wrote:

@Anonymous, now that you have access again, make sure you change your password to something that's really, really good. And set up two-factor authentication if you haven't done so already.

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Appears the hack was done entirely by phone.   Someone obviously knows my home address, phone number and SS# and used a phone call to change it over to theirs.  If Comenity didn't email me that my email address had changed, I never would have known.  They changed my email address to my first name, some numbers, my last name at a basic throwaway email service like hotmail.

I always set up 2FA when available -- didn't realize Comenity even offered it though.  When my new card comes I'll do that for sure.

[Anonymous]

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@Meanmchine wrote:

Lets review this for a moment.  Someone.....

a) called into WS and told them their card was stolen/lost and needed a new card

b) at the same time changd the email addr

c) changed the address

d) and most likely changed the phone number

ALL THIS and no red warning lights went off at Comenity??

For the record, I had scammers do this to me 3x on my Walmart card. Bank security systems are almost useless at times

Good thing you caught it ABCD

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Yeah insane that they allowed someone to change it all just like that, but at least they did send me an email confirming the address change.  Whoever did it didn't have my card number, so they requested a new card to some address in the Bronx.  Inept that banks allow this to happen but at least I did have email notifications set up to let me know.

I'm going over all my cards and bank accounts now to check to confirm that all of them have a solid notification on account changes.

No surprise that my SS# is out there -- I've opened so many businesses in 25+ years that my SS# is probably in the hands of hundreds of people.  No real way to avoid trouble there.  This is the first account hack I've had to deal with in probably 10 years!

[HeavenOhio]

I wouldn't know for sure if Comenity has 2FA. I just assumed that everyone did. It seems to me that with my banks, skipping it may not even be an option.

[Anonymous]

Have you had any mail that you believed wasn’t delivered in the past six months?

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Have you had any mail that you believed wasn’t delivered in the past six months?

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I'm sure I have -- I live on my sailboat most winters in the Caribbean so I wouldn't be surprised if mail slipped through the cracks.  It's a risk for sure but I refuse to live in fear.

[Anonymous]

I can't say this enough always use another computer when doing banking, buying stuff online

or you will get infected specially on a windows box lot's of leaks.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I can't say this enough always use another computer when doing banking, buying stuff online

or you will get infected specially on a windows box lot's of leaks.

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While I tend to agree, in this case I believe it was mail theft of some sort as I haven't actually used that card ever online.  It's not a Mastercard/Visa either, just a store-only card.

I don't fret about this too much since I'm not liable for fraudulent use of the cards -- more concerned with my mail getting pilfered if that's the case.  I did recent install a new remote camera that aims at the mailbox and walk-up because I like to have a record of who visited my property when I'm traveling, so hopefully if anything like this happens in the future I'll have a record.