Came home last PM and message on home phone said there may have been a fraudulent credit card charge. Wife then said the card wasn't accepted at the store. Called and they asked "Did you spend $4100 on American Airlines? No. Card disabled and new one on the way. So I decide to check my free credit report. Some fine individual had applied for a Cabelas Capital One card under my name. I had a Cabelas Visa that transferred over so I am wondering if that is where it started. Seems too much of a coincidence to me that I only have 2 lines of credit(cards) and they just happen to apply for one of the exact ones I have. So I have now wasted 3 hours of my life between phone calls, searches, etc. and probably have a few more before it is over. I have put a fraud alert on my credit report. Any other advice/thoughts/been there stories? These people need to spend some serious prison time.

Don't sweat it. I've been hacked at least 5 times. Today's world. They don't convict anyone just pass on the charges to everyone else.

They could have gotten your information a large variety of ways. Probably the most common is a card skimmer. Believe it or not a lot of the people skimming the cards or stealing your identity other ways actually sell it online. There's basically a network of them that sell identities online. You'd be shocked at how little we are actually worth to them lol. I saw an interview of one. Your total identity is worth somewhere around $100. A social security number is worth a few bucks. The guy went on to say that at $100 or so, it's risky business "because they don't know if you have any money". They could spend $100 and not get anything. A lot of times they buy as much as they can as quick as they can and resell what they've bought. I phones and such are really popular with then..but anything they can get value from on the black market will work.

From there, they'll encode your information on a card... electronically and the physical#. But they'll put their name (a fictitious ID) on the card. At it's face value, the card looks legitimate...when it's used, it's your account. Or they'll use your account online.



A lot of companies want a police report filed before they'll do anything as far as considering it fraud so you might be making that phone call.



It's a case that is difficult for law enforcement to do much with because of the technology and trying to actually identify the ID thiefs and the people using the IDs. A lot of it happens online and a lot of it changes hands and tracking it down is very difficult.


The laws are also behind and courts don't understand the cases. I know Pennsylvania just enacted laws helping fight it... I know possession of card skimmers was one of them.



Good luck...it's no fun. Ends up a headache and a pain in the butt for the victim.

Just bottom feeders like the phone scammers but if it's not a million dollars or some corporation nobody cares is the sad part. It's a crying shame a guy works for what he has and others just want to steal it from him.

Happens to me with my CC about once a year. I'm 100% sure I know where the fraud is originating; I told the CC company but they didn't really seem interested in following up on the info I have.
This is why I refuse to use, or own a debit card.

I feel your pain I have one cc I use for business and fuel purchases, same deal they called me the other day and asked did I make a certain purchase, I said no cut it off right now. Glad someone was watching it, they tried three small purchases in a row, bank guy says they normally start small then go in for the kill. I do not have or ever will have a debit card as I hear they are easier for them to hack than a cc. Also had a dump trailer stolen out of my yard the same week, I did get it back though thanks to the joco sheriff. Thieves of all stripes really (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) me off.

I have been hacked twice and both times it was thru pay pals. I have a debit card tied to a bank account that only requires a $100.00 balance, this account is tied to Pay pals. All my purchases on the net are done with this card. I put the money in the account then make the purchase. So all that the hackers can get is a $100.00 from the account.

Ditto

a guy in England went through paypal to clean out my sons checking account a few years ago. it was only about 3 grand so nothing was ever done. we tax payers took the hit as fdic put the money back. of course that took a couple weeks. my cc purchases show up on my cell phone as soon as I use it. my debit card does not. I only use my debit card at atms for cash. they are supposed to be more secure than say a gas station pump.

I don't give out personal information. my insurance man was pretty upset one day when I refused to give my ss#. Had insurance there for about thirty years. for whatever reason they found out it wasn't on their file. said my rates would go up without it. it didn't.

Dr's are the worst. Why would a Dr need your SS#?

I don't give out my phone number either to cashiers. What is the benefit to me?

Those grocery cards are the worst. No idea why they need to know who is buying their products. Tracking what sells is good business. Again whats the benefit to me for giving personal info to store so they can monitor what I buy? No thanks. I will sometimes pay the higher price but usually just shop elsewhere.

I pay with cash a lot. I like the anonymity of cash. I believe anonymity is the reason it is being discouraged by government and stolen by LE. Nosy nogoods can't stand not spying on people. You would think the monitering of all electronic communication would be enough to make them happy but apparently not.

I too try to deal in cash as much as possible. Hard to believe people out there are making a living off stealing.

You are just asking for problems with a debit card

Bad hair day all around.

Happened to me also. My card was skiimmed at a gas station in Farmington NM. Within minutes my address was changed to Buffalo NY and charges were made at a pawn shop in Phoenix.

Credit card company smelled a rat and denied charges. I was asked to file a police report.