CC Fraud! OT, but mods, please allow - *EVERYONE* pls read

[858diver]

Originally posted on Fat Wallet.com. Gave me a reason to check my CC statement (online), and found I was ripped off too!


"...I checked my Sony Citibank Mastercard online tonight and saw a charge for $10.25 from a "GLOBAL TELECOM MOSCOW RUS" as the description. I have bought a lot of things online lately from different stores. I am afraid this is a fraudulent charge and I want to know if anyone has seen this before????

It is only for $10.25 but I am thinking maybe they do this so people don't no*t*ice??..."


I also found a charge for $10.25 on December 16 from the same outfit. Spoke with Citibank Visa CSR, who was well aware of the scam and had me IMMEDIATELY cancel my card.

BEWARE!!!

 

[optoman]

I've had crap like that happen before. I always use my Citibank card because they are great at following these things up. I've had two experiences like that before and both times they took care of everything and even got a new credit card in 2 days.

 

[abracadabra1]

3 months ago i received a $10,350 statement from my GM Discovercard. Needless to say, 7,000+ were fraudulent charges. they quickly cancelled the charges but have yet to find the scum who did this.
online shopping would be safe, if people at the ends didn't get the numbers.

 

[toothfairy]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[nallur]

I got hit too. According to a thread on FW drugstore.com may be where the numbers were stolen. Called the CC folks, disputed the charges and canceled the card. They'll be sending a new card soon.

 

[iotone]

just bumping for everyone...

*bump*

 

[Blain]

I've had 3 small "disputed" charges on my FirstUSA MC. The customer support was top notch. They got everything cleared up fast.
I couldn't be happier

 

[nealr]

I had the same type of thing happen when I had a citibank card, The citibank people were so un-cooperative, and difficult. It took over 6 months, several faxes, and calls to get them to reduce it by a small percentage, (They never removed the whole charge). I immediately cancelled my citibank card, and try to avoid any citibank services.

 

[gittyup]

I almost got screwed by staples.com. I ordered a HP 9110i and paper clips to get the order over
$100 and then used the $30 off of $100 coupon. Two days later was informed that the HP was out of
stock. I noticed a 32.06 charge on my CC. I called staples and noticed that they charged me the
coupon of $30. I said WHAT! I never received the drive. Not only that, what logic is it to charge
me for a coupon. It is a coupon. Glad I caught that on the CC statement. :|

 

[morkinva]

yes, last week FirstUsa called me up; they had stopped a $5 transaction from a Russian telephone company (probably the same guys). I told 'em I never authorized it, and they had to cancel my card and will reissue a new one.

Good thing these guys are (sometimes) on the ball.

 

[HKSturboKID]

I have 3 false charges in the pass 2 months. Luckily I use citibank Visa and they fixed it for me. There is one company that have there phone # on my statement and when I call they have an answer machine saying that if you've been falsely charge please contact you credit card company to dispute.

 

[Bagger]

Gittyup, I had the same thing happen. Here's what I think happened: They charged the credit card for the full price of the drive ($100.00 + tax). When they realized the drive was out of stock, they credited the card the amount AFTER the coupon ($70.00 + tax), thereby leaving you with a balance of 30.00 + tax. I had just the opposite happen to me on a different order. I ordered the Iomega 12x4x32 CD-RW. They charged my card for the amount AFTER $40 off 150 coupon, then when it was out of stock they credited my card for the FULL purchase amount. I saw both of these mistakes on the same statement on my credit card.

 

[wxman]

Fraud like this will soon be a thing of the past. A small company, eConnect, is now distributing something called an eCashpad. It plugs into a Y adapter with your keyboard and into your PS/2 port. It then allows you to swipe you own CC card OR ATM card with PIN number. No one but the bank ever sees your account numbers. Way cool.

www.econnectholdings.com

The stock is teally cheap, and they've just announced business in China this week.

Ticker, ECNC. Trades on the OTC BB.

 

[zoomee]

Got the call from my CC Company two days ago about a $10 telecom charge from russia. Obviously fraud. Cancelled card and got new ones today.

 

[Woodsea]

My wife yesterday was going to pay the visa bill online (Her husband is always at Anandtech ), and she noticed that the card was cancelled. She called and they also said that there were some charges from Russia. She was told that they get the card #'s of even 92 yr old ladies who have never shopped online. But now they have 'flags' up for >10 dollar charges. So big brother is actually looking out for us, as well as themselves.

 

[dgoedken]

Unfortunately,

ECNC has been under investigation for inflating their stock price as well....look at their chart. Yes, they do have a good idea, but don't give blind stock "tips".

 

[KeyzerSoze]

Not that its completely fraud proof, but I think you guys should get a hold of a Discover or AMEX card if you don't have one already. With the AMEX Private Payments, and the Discover Desktop, a random CC# is generated for one time use, and is linked to your account. Even if people get a hold of your CC#, its invalid. Although you'll get great service from Citibank, etc...it sure is much nicer than having to call every time you see a charge.

 

[Ranger X]

Thanks for the heads up. Now you got me paranoid, so I'll go check my account on-line.

 

[wxman]

I don't care if anyone buys ECNC. It's the secure service/product that'll be exciting. No they didn't tout the stock. Do your DD. I mean really do your DD.

 

[wjones]

I was charged $1200+ by http://www.ExplorerMicro.com/ (about 2 months back) on my GTE Visa, the one I got it when I was in college.
I never used this card for more than 6 months (because I can't pay online). I wonder how they got my CC info.

[edit]
If you have MBNA card, they also have the one time use CC# feature.

 

[trots]

I always get a laugh from the people who say they would never put their credit card online because it's too risky, yet the same people don't think twice about handing their card to a waiter in a restaurant, who then proceeds to disappear to the back with it for 5 or 10 minutes.

Just my opinion, but I think that's about a million times more insecure than shoping online. Even if you never shop online, your card number can be stolen 1000 different ways. Just think about it for awhile.

 

[usual_suspect]

I just had to cancel my MC debit card because of a fraudulent charge for $500. Apparently hackers got into "Ebanks Limited". They are some sort of online billing/charge service(?)

I got credited by my Credit Union but it does pay to check your account early and often.

 

[iluvdeal]

Thanks for the heads up. I said to myself this could never happen to me, but just to be safe I checked my account online and saw that $10.25 charge from GLOBAL TELECOM MOSCOW RUS. Called the CC company and they took care of it, canceled the number, and will be sending me a new one shortly.

Also I had the opposite experience with Citibank, I've disputed charges in the past, never had to pay, and let them do all the work. It was no different this time. Quick, easy, and painless in my experience.

 

[diablonhn]

shopping online IS a lot more dangerous than shopping the conventional way, for example, e-companies like to store your credit card numbers in their database (buy.com, onvia.com, etc.), so if a hacker gets in, then well you and a bunch of other people are screwed (cduniverse.com)

 

[Healey]

I second the posts that suggest using one-time numbers. I started using the ShopSafe service from MBNA. Even if a site is hacked and your number stolen and posted at the alt.abusethisstolencreditcardnumber site it will not cause you any harm since it automatically expires right after you use it. Sounds foolproof.