Has anyone had their debit card number stolen?

[Laffy Kat]

I just got a call from the fraud department of my bank about some questionable purchases. Sure enough there were five from today and none of them were mine. Bunch from WalMart (I NEVER shop at WalMart), and others I can't remember except they weren't mine. One from Minnesota and I'm in Colorado. They froze my card and told me to contact my bank tomorrow about what to do next. The card is in my possession, I did not lose it and it wasn't stolen. Only the number.

Anyone have any experience with this? Do I have to pay for any of this?

[bagelsforbreakfast]

1. Usually you're only liable for $50 but if you report it promptly (inside a month)

they usually "eat" it. Happened to me - their pattern was to try it for a small gas purchase in the AM (say $5) to see if the card was still good and then go to town (or in your case WALMART ) Don't worry - you should be fine - just a minor hassle.

[Laffy Kat]

7. Thank god.

So how could they do it without the actual card? If they were at Walmart, how would they use it? Plus, for online purchases, you're required the three digit number on the back of the card. How do they do it? Even if they use it as a credit instead of a debit wouldn't they need the physical card? I know I'm naive and this happens a lot but I still don't get it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. They counterfeit them (see post #8). All they need is a number.

The new chip cards are much more difficult to counterfeit.

[OriginalGeek]

44. yep

happened to me twice within a space of two months. Our bank was very nice about it - we didn't have to pay anything.. Hasn't happened again since we got chip cards but I still check for skimmers before swiping any card anywhere.

What hurts me most is one of the charges was about a hundred dollars in groceries. Shit, I'd a bought groceries for someone that needed them that badly.

[OriginalGeek]

66. OMFG

right after I posted that it hadn't happened since I got the new chip cards, it happened to one of my new chip cards. I got a text and email from my bank yesterday that someone tried to use my card number to buy gas at 430am. They declined it and it didn't cost me anything and they are sending a new card.

but now I gotta remember which bills I had linked to that card and go change them. pita.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Can you access your bank account online and see what was charged and what your account balance is?

You probably won't be liable for any charges (you'll probably have to sign a form for the bank denying you made the charges in question).

When was the last time you reconciled your charges and account?

[Laffy Kat]

9. I'm terrible about reconciling.

Guess I won't be anymore.

[RKP5637]

54. Use something like mint.com. It's what quicken was but far better, same company, Intuit.

https://www.mint.com/

[Laffy Kat]

58. I am going to do this! Thanks.

[RKP5637]

60. Yep, it works extremely well and tracks everything across all of your accounts.

You also don't have to sit there and reconcile every transaction. It's pretty much automatic for the most part. The part I did not like was "Bills" where they track bills due. It never worked well in the past, but maybe that part is better now. I've found the rest of it amazing!

[mercuryblues]

3. Your number was stolen

and a clone card was made.

[MaryMagdaline]

4. Multiple times

I live in South Florida. You can get a temp card from your bank tomorrow while waiting for the replacement card. They will replace what was stolen ... banks are insured. Ask for temp credit while waiting.

I gave up debit card after last hack. Only use credit card now.

Sorry you are going through this.

[Polly Hennessey]

5. Yes.

My bank called, froze the card, and sent me a new one. I was not charged for any of the purchases.

[chillfactor]

6. bought a leather case

that cannot be scanned by a thief...if you keep you card in a purse or wallet, they can be scanned, copied. and used. I bought my card protector at Walgreen's.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Yes, about 2 years ago. I checked my online bank statement as I do routinely,

and discovered a bunch of recent charges made in the previous couple of days at stores and restaurants in Denver. I'm in Minneapolis and I've never sent foot in Denver; I also had the card in my possession. I immediately called my credit union, and they froze the card and re-deposited the money (it wasn't a huge amount, less than $300).

The guy at the credit union explained that people collect credit card numbers and make fake cards, so they don't need the real card. They won't have the PIN, but they can use the card at stores - in my case they bought something at a sporting goods store and charged food at fast-food restaurants. This happened just as the credit union was issuing chip cards, so I got a new card with a chip. These are much tougher to counterfeit.

I had no trouble getting the money back - I just had to complete a report and it was deposited within a few days.

[Laffy Kat]

11. Mine has a chip but it has never worked that well.

Maybe I'll just do credit cards instead now.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. Really? Never had any trouble with my chip card.

It works better than the old one with the magnetic strip.

[Laffy Kat]

14. I purchased something from Eddie Bauer yesterday..

And we couldn't get the chip or bar strip to work so the clerk put it in manually. I wonder if that's when it happened? There were other people around AND the clerk couldn't read the three-digit security # on the back so I told her what it was. SHIT.

[jberryhill]

15. Ding ding ding ding!

Yep

That was the exact prelude to mine being stolen once.

[Laffy Kat]

17. Wonder if it was the clerk? She seemed a little sketchy at the time.

Oh well, I guess I'll let the bank investigators (?) handle it.

[jberryhill]

18. Lots of temporary hires for the holiday season

There’s no real good way to prove it. Your data got sold on a carder exchange for a flat fee.

[Laffy Kat]

19. Live and learn. nt

[Laffy Kat]

13. I'll take care of it in the morning. Damn.

I do feel better now. I had just transferred some money from another account to pay for some dental work coming up. I usually don't even keep that much cash in my checking.

[Girard442]

16. Yes. Fraud detection picked it up when...

...two transactions (one legit) happened separated by only a few minutes but by 40 miles. The bank assumed I'm not The Flash and froze the card. I didn't pay anything.

[Laffy Kat]

20. I'm just now learning that this has happened to almost everyone I know.

Guess I've been lucky up to now. BTW, what is The Flash?

[applegrove]

22. The flash is a cartoon character that can immediately teleport from one

place to another in seconds. I'm guessing.

[Laffy Kat]

23. Oooh, got it. Now it makes sense, LOL. Thx. nt

[OriginalGeek]

45. well, he's just really fast

not exactly teleporting.

[applegrove]

46. Thanks.

[OriginalGeek]

47. No problem!

that's what we geeks are here for.

[applegrove]

48. Everyone in the world has a role to play.

[OriginalGeek]

50. All the world's indeed a stage

and we are merely players
performers and portrayers
each another's audience
outside the gilded cage

[applegrove]

51. .

[applegrove]

21. Someone must have cloned my card and used it to falsely deposit and then

take out cash. I still can't figure out how they did it. But i no longer bank online.

[The_Casual_Observer]

24. Yes more than once. I had to go to the bank

And get a new card.

It could be just about anything including on line purchases.

I've never been charged anything for any of the fraudulent stuff.

Good luck with it, it will work out ok.

[Laffy Kat]

25. Thanks, T_C_O

[FakeNoose]

26. It can happen at a restaurant

A lot of times customers will give the credit (or debit) card to the waiter who takes it and swipes it out of sight. If they're very quick they can also write down your number and your CVV before they give you back the card. It wouldn't be likely to happen at a reputable restaurant, but really any dishonest person could be capable of stealing your number.

It's very important to get the new kind of chip card as soon as possible. The chip cards make it much hard er for thieves to steal your number or your identity. Most banks have already made replacements for their customers' old magstripe cards.

Never give a DEBIT card number on the internet. Somebody can use a debit number to clean out your account before you even know about it. The CREDIT card (Visa or Mastercard) has a maximum loss of $50 to you, and the bank eats the rest.

Good luck!

[Laffy Kat]

28. Gosh, I use my debit online all of the time.

Never again.

[defacto7]

33. My debt card isn't any different than credit cards.

You can set limits that can be charged without the bank checking with you. I set those limits at my bank site or over the phone. A guy tried to charge my debt card $4500 for chrystal, the bank called me and asked if I made that transaction, I said no and they cancelled the order. They sent a new card.

[defacto7]

32. I don't know your bank's policy

but my debt card has the same $50 scam limit as a credt card. I also put a limit on the amount that can be charged without having the bank call me. Same for cash machines. It's the same from 3 different banks I've used.

[FakeNoose]

65. Yes the better banks are doing this now

Before chip cards came out, it was the consumer's risk on debit card, bank's risk on credit cards. For 20 years I've been careful about using a debit card for online purchases, etc. But that is changing now, as you say.

The important thing is to make sure your card has the chip for the additional security. (They only just came out last year for most American banks.) Then it's almost impossible to steal. FYI the banks in Europe have had these chip cards since the 1990's because of all the dishonesty they had to deal with when the Iron Curtain came down. Europe was flooded with phony credit cards with stolen numbers that were easy to duplicate. The US was way behind on chip card technology, but now we finally do have it, thank goodness.

[customerserviceguy]

27. Not sure

But twice this year, my bank account was compromised. The first time, someone used my bank account to make payments to a credit union in Maryland that I never, ever had anything to do with. The second time, discovered just a couple of weeks ago, someone linked my new bank account (only opened for two months, same bank) to their PayPal account and sucked out a couple hundred dollars.

My bank made me 100% whole on the earlier problem (mistake or fraud, I don't know) and I expect they will on the newest problem, too. The fraud department told me that someone accessed my online login ID and password, so I changed both right away.

I've never had this kind of problem before, or anything close to it. I have to wonder what made it so easy for some criminal asshole to do this. I've got an associate degree in computer network administration, and a full earned "A" in my Network Security class, from a professor who didn't give that grade out easily, my first one from him was a "D", and everybody in the class got that, except for one guy who really worked at it and got a "B".

[Laffy Kat]

29. I guess it's just our new reality.

Opened my eyes.

[customerserviceguy]

31. I've always felt secure online

But frankly, if this happens again, I will forswear anything involving money online, except for credit cards with limited liability. I'm retired now, and while it's quite convenient to pay my bills online, I can always go back to writing a check to a credit card issuing bank.

There is no law requiring me to have a bank account that can be accessed online, and if the lack of adequate security forces me to do that, then I damn well will do it.

[rickford66]

30. I never use my debit card for purchases. Only at a bank ATM for cash.

I also don't have a PIN for my credit card (VISA). I have been notified twice about questionable purchases with my VISA card and it immediately was frozen and a new one sent. They're pretty good at flagging these purchases. I've had merchandise bought by someone accessing my card somehow but they made the mistake of having it delivered to my home. I sent it back and it was straightened out. I'm sure most of these thefts happened because I traveled a lot for work. The new chip cards seem more secure, but time will tell. I use PayPal for internet purchases and PayPal uses my credit card. I figure it's a two step transfer and might foil some things. Anyone see any holes in my methods, clue me in.

[defacto7]

34. I use paypal

I figure it's better to have only one repository of my card than have a copy on a bunch of different sites.

[sprinkleeninow]

35. Husband: Visa/debit card in block could be compromised.

Bank issued new card. (Fall)

Found $700+ on NEW CARD, purchases made from Poland (Spring)

Fraud detection asked, "You weren't abroad in Poland recently?" Husband choked/snorted on phone. They took that as a "yeah, right!" {{{He was there the day before and just flew back to stateside on a supersonic jet!}}}
😝 😆

Cancelled card, issued another new one, reversed fraudulent charges.

Bank issued alert they had beaucoup trouble with bogus charges made in Poland at that time.

Another time bogus charges on our checking,
Wal-Mart online and Bed, Bath and Beyond, NJ. Don't remember whose card.

Third time quick mart gas station locally.

[silverweb]

36. Two card numbers stolen last year.

Both were attempted to be used within a couple days of each other. My accounts send me email alerts for every transaction over a penny, so I found out almost immediately.

One card was used for a $28 lunch in a southern state; it also was attempted to be used for some kind of safari ride in Nairobi but was declined (insufficient funds). The other was attempted to be used for a limo ride in Mumbai, but was also declined for an insufficient credit balance.

The credit company canceled my card and issued a new one. The credit union did the same, but also transferred my entire account to a new one. It was all taken care of in a couple of days and even the $28 lunch was refunded.

Immediately afterwards, I opened a separate credit union account just for debit card use. Deposits go to my primary account and I never use that debit card. Instead, I transfer what I'm planning on spending to the secondary account and use that debit card for all purchases. The credit card is something I keep only for emergencies now and don't use it at all otherwise.

Strongly suggest that whatever kind of account(s) you have, set them up to send a text or email alert for any and all transactions.

[Phentex]

41. Ditto this. Email alerts and small amounts in account

Sometimes even I don't recognize the name on the transaction so I have to back track only to find out it was something I ordered or my husband ordered. I don't have a pin for my credit card so it can't be used at an ATM. And my ATM card is not activated to be used as a credit card.

Debit card has only a small amount of cash in at any given time and I use it for small purchases.

All of this is a pain in the butt and I wish there was a better way but until then, getting alerts is the way to go.

[silverweb]

42. Yup.

It is a pain in the butt, but at least I feel I'm more in control this way. It's also good to know that when reported immediately, things can be made right quickly.

[sprinkleeninow]

49. Major P.I.T.A.

You gotta cover yourself.
It gets ridiculous what lengths one must go to tho'.

[no_hypocrisy]

37. Worse than "stolen": it was co-opted by a bank teller who did that with 3 other customers.

My friend thought his wife was secretly spending behind his back and yelled at her. Turns out that the bank teller was spending his money. She was eventually discovered and fired but not prosecuted and the money never returned.

[Laffy Kat]

56. Gosh, I would have sued or called the media or something.

I mean, the bank's reputation was at stake.

[FSogol]

38. Yes, happened to me twice.

The 2nd time they completely cleaned out my checking account. My credit union temporarily put the money back while investigating and about a week later made it permanent.

[RobinA]

39. My Father's Number

was stolen at a convenience store. It was never out of his possession. Didn't know it until the police showed up at the door. Apparently, they have had problems at this store. They had the guy on tape and everything. They have some way of matching the video to the transaction. The first thing they asked my Dad was whether he knew the person. I guess this often happens in families. It wasn't anyone my father knew. He got a new card, no problem. I don't know if they ever caught the guy because my father passed shortly after the incident.

[Dem_4_Life]

40. Multiple Times

The bank or credit union will always refund you any charges sometimes it takes a week or so. The last time this happened I had $2000 taken out of my account and they reimbursed me within a few days and issued a new card. The lady at my credit union says sometimes they are in remote places and they just guess at numbers to create new cards so it may not have been anyone that walked past you or somewhere you swiped your card where they got the info.

For mine I am in Texas and this person was was Illinois so it had to be a case where they were just guessing at the numbers.

I am sorry you have to deal with it as it is a pain in the butt and you always feel so violated.

[secondwind]

43. I had my debit card stolen once. It was connected

to my money market account. Discovered this accidentally. I was grilled by the fraud investigators at Schwab. And they credited my account for the full 1,700.

The majority of purchases were in GA. I live in FL. Lots of Walmart purchases.

[samnsara]

52. yep and i can name the two resturants that lifted it!

[MattP]

53. Some credit cards can create one time virtial numbers for online purchases

[samnsara]

55. no you wont have to pay... someone lifted my number and bought...

...a bunch of Coach Leather items. The only Coach thing I can afford are flip flops!

[saidsimplesimon]

57. Laffy

Contact the bank, advise them if necessary that you are not legally responsible for the charges of credit card theft. If you love your bank, ask for a new card. If not open a new account, or move to a local credit union. imo

[Laffy Kat]

59. I love my bank.

It's a small bank in a small town and they know me by my name and they always have treats for my dog. I called them and I'm going to meet with this in less than an hour.

[trixie2]

61. yes! twice!

Didn't have to pay one penny. They had all my money back in my account within 24 hours.

[Laffy Kat]

62. Same here.

I just got back from my bank and they made everything right and talked to me a long time. Meanwhile, my doggo was walking from office to office soliciting treats and pets.

[secondwind]

63. I had my debit card stolen once. It was connected

to my money market account. Discovered this accidentally. I was grilled by the fraud investigators at Schwab. And they credited my account for the full 1,700.

The majority if purchased were in GA. I live in FL. Lots of Walmart purchases.

[Xolodno]

64. Yeap...a few times.

Once while I was vacationing in Mexico...someone in Australia tried to rent a DVD...aka, testing the card. Bank promptly caught it and denied it. They weren't surprised by the charges in Mexico since I told them I was going to be there and they were all charges from the resort. But, they couldn't get a hold of me since I was out of the country...and obviously shutting down my card while I was there would severely hamper my vacation. So they put my account on a "watch" list for every charge. Long story short, no other questionable charges were made and when I got back, heard the message and promptly got a new card.

Second time, I noticed some charges from the game World of Warcraft. Played it for a couple of months and canceled, found it too boring...plus, LOTRO was about to be released and after playing the Beta, was really looking forward to that game.

The last time, and this is the worst. Wife nearly died on me due to a pulmonary embolism, I have health insurance, but, the company ditched HMO's awhile back and had a ripoff PPO and High Deductible plans, so I opted for the HDP. Church I belong to, donated money to pay for the deductibles. As you can imagine, I wasn't paying too much attention to my account during this time. Until I got one of the bills and looked into my account to discover someone in the past few days was buying cokes from a machine for a couple of days, filled up on three SUV's in one day and bought $600 in auto parts at Auto Zone.

[PennyK]

67. Stinks

I stopped using my debit card completely, because it's much easier to deal with a fraudulent hit on the credit card. If I need cash i go to my credit union or just get some when I shop at Publix and pay with the credit card.
In fact, I just had a fake charge issue on the charge card. My bank is reimbursing me the money (it was $3 a month for SEVEN months - I was dealing with health issues and couldn't deal with it any sooner).