Good read.

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Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Probably common knowledge to us, but a good read for those passing by.

http://dendory.net/blog.php?id=50229fec

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 7:34 pm

Interesting stuff. I wonder about that $10K per week though. That works out to roughly $500,000 per year. That volume of cash flow is bound to raise some eyebrows somewhere along the line with the banking and taxing authorities.

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 8:57 pm

When someone got into my checking account (via a skimmer at a local gas station) and someone got into Quinn's account, the Secret Service gave us tips on how to protect ourselves. I now know how scammers collect information from those gift cards hanging at the checkout counters at stores, how to detect a skimmer in a gas station pump, and which gas stations not to use, how to cover my cc/debit card when using so no one can take cell phone picture.

Fortunately by completing the online .gov internet complaint form and submitting to the gov and to our respective credit unions, our funds were restored.

My card had been used 17 times on the same day in 17 different states. Quinn's had been used in 4 different states at the same time of day at different POS for over $3K per purchase.

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:24 pm

^^^ Just out of curiosity, how does one detect a skimmer?

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:30 pm

^^ I was told that if you don't see the little green lights where you put in your debit/cc that there might very well be a skimmer in there.

What I do is take $20 or so in cash inside to the clerk, tell her I will get whatever amount I have given her but will be back with my card to pay.

Nowadays I do NOT let my card out of my sight.

At a restaurant I go with the wait person to their computer and give them my card there. In some restaurants wait staff have been known to use a card reader on their smart phones to scan your card, then run it through the restaurant's computer for the regular ticket.

If you are purchasing a gift card at a cashier's area, do not take the first card, reach behind and get one further back as there are readers that will scan the first cards on those racks, so when you buy and gift the card there is no money on it.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

I never use my card at restaurants or bars - I will get cash out of the ATM before I go out.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:27 am

Thanks Morgain I did not know about the gift cards. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:36 am

Very interesting, given the fact that I had to cancel my Visa today. Someone tried to make a $1.56 charge at a travel agency in the UK with it this morning. It was declined, because they apparently didn't have enough info to verify (zip code, address, etc), but my bank flagged the account and called immediately. They canceled the card and are sending a new one.

I never use that card for anything unless they won't accept AmEx. I've used it at a home improvement store and a mom & pop burger shop several times in the past month. They must have gotten the info from one of the two.

Fucking Vlads. Laughing

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:45 am

Sometimes they simply generate real numbers. I have a business debit card because my bank made me an irresistible offer. I don't carry it and I use it maybe once only every 2-3 months. To date I have only used it for Paypal and Amazon, who are both pretty tight with security. I have never used it in any public way. And yet....

Yesterday I got a call from the fraud department questioning some activity. Someone had used my account number to charge several phone calls from a hotel in Texas. It's sort of stupid; the totals added up to under $75. But I suppose that's one way of not setting off the alarms that a big electronics purchase might generate. Anyway, all is now fine, my money has already been refunded and the card closed.

Within the past 6 months my main Visa card has been compromised twice, and hit with huge charges -- including the aforementioned Internet electronics purchases (and plane tickets on Air Dubai). I do use that card often, but I am security conscious so I am extremely cautious. But even though I pay close attention, somehow the criminals still got it. Once again, the charges were instantly reversed and a new card issued.

That said, since I use the card for some auto-payments there is some hassle involved.

Damn vlads indeed.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 26 Jul 2012 Posts: 1123

Quote:

This first step starts with a VPN. There's a lot of VPN providers out there, and one that seems to be a favorite is HideMyAss, simply because of the sheer amount of proxies they offer around the world, the fact that they are run from Europe and not the US, and their low cost. For as little as $5 a month you have access to over 30,000 IPs, providing anonymity at all time.

Counter Arguments:

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/june12/cardshoparrests.html

Good article although not 100% in my mind. My personal feelings is the security is not in the proxy but in the sheer numbers of people doing this online. The trick is to stay under the radar I would think. The other thing I would imagine is there is a reason to use internet cafes for these kinds of crimes. Your name is not on the bill.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 3:55 am

jose_cuervo wrote:

Very interesting, given the fact that I had to cancel my Visa today. Someone tried to make a $1.56 charge at a travel agency in the UK with it this morning. It was declined, because they apparently didn't have enough info to verify (zip code, address, etc), but my bank flagged the account and called immediately. They canceled the card and are sending a new one

That $1.56 charge was a ping to test the validity of your card. Had it gone through the scammers were hoping that it flew below the radar when your bill came in. This happened to me twice and the monthly statement had strange entries for some web designers in Arizona and Colorado in the amounts of 5 or 10 dollars. They showed phone numbers and URLs. In each case I dialed the phone number and got a message machine -- not a voice mail system -- with the generic leave-a-message-and-I'll-get-back-to-you. The URLs took me to some crude web sites, kind of like those the lads cobble together, with no contact info. I called the bank both times and they deleted the charges and issued a new card.

Quote:

Fucking Vlads.

My exact sentiments.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:43 am

Joker wrote:

The trick is to stay under the radar I would think.

Agreed. That was my point in my earlier post. A friend of mine does high-end tax and estate planning. He says there is an unwritten rule in his business that applies in this situation, too, I think. It goes like this: "Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered." Meaning, if you don't get greedy you can usually stay under the authority's radar but if you go too far they will come after you with a vengeance. Walking that line is the art of the deal.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:08 pm

When my card number was used in 17 different states, the purchases were all under $50, I guess trying to stay under the radar.

I have my cards now set for alerts for ANY activity, even when they receive my payment.

I can purchase something at a local store and before I get my seat belt buckled I am receiving a text message about a purchase and the amount of said purchase.

I also monitor my checking account online several times a week.

Also I do not carry my cc's with me unless I am going to use one of them just in case my purse is stolen..............and in that case the thief just might not live to use the card(s) Wink

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:16 pm

This wasn't fraud but cockup - a lady bought a £20 phone and paid with her card. every 10 minutes for a WEEK - by the time she noticed, she was £27,000 in debt.

LINK

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:42 pm

That is bad if you have to worry about your C card and how to use it safely. Rolling Eyes

The last years working in the hospitality business I learned enough about C Cards to know better, destroyed mine and do strictly cash now, not always convenient, but at least I know what I'm spending and don't worry about it.
If I would buy a prepaid one, " Thanks Fay" I'll think twice now. Confused

Yes there are pickpockets too, but not in my jeans pocket, having no wallet makes me useless for those ones.
If..., I guess it's gonna be a plain armed robbery Laughing

I might get a chance to shoot back though Twisted Evil