Someone copied my bank card

**lottaLove** · 12-22-2009, 08:43 PM

I'm so frustrated. I went to the ATM today to take out some money so that I could do laundry tomorrow, and I got an error message saying 'cannot process request, contact branch'.

So I contacted my branch, and they said that on the 17th of December, the city police reported to them that I had used my card at a machine that had one of those copy devices on it. Which is scary enough, I have no idea where it was.

I asked the man I was speaking to on the phone, he said it could have been anywhere, and those devices are so high tech now you wouldn't even know from using it that it isn't genuine. So it could have been at an ATM, a store, anywhere. Not only that, it wasn't necessarily on the 17th. He said police noticed it on the 17th, but it could have been installed and active at that location for a long time before it got noticed. Apparently they will even go into stores or cafe's, replace the Interac machine that is there with a fake one, and no one ever knows. So there is no way to figure out where my card got copied (so I can avoid this place in the future), and they are not releasing that information.

I checked my bank records, and it doesn't look like anything is out of line. I'm not only annoyed that someone tried to steal my banking information, I'm very annoyed at the way my bank went about notifying me of it. They did nothing. They just canceled my bank card, and figured that I would eventually notice when I went to make a purchase and it didn't work. Well what if I was on a long trip, and had to stop for gas? What if I had just received a service, like a haircut or some medical service, and have no way of paying for it? They didn't call me, they didn't put a message on my online banking, they didn't send me a letter in the mail. Nothing. When I asked about this, the response was something like 'oh well customers usually notice when they try to buy something and call us'.

Thanks for letting me vent

**justpeachy92** · 12-22-2009, 10:13 PM

I had this happen to me a few years ago. I found out when my debit card was being denied as I tried to pay for groceries. The bank froze my card because multiple transactions were trying to be processed at the same time; my groceries in Tampa, Fl., gas charge in Texas, and a cash withdrawl from an ATM in Africa. The bank allowed the cash withdrawl and then froze my card, not allowing the other two transactions. To this day I don't understand why some computer would allow cash to come out in another country, while the card was being used 1/2mile from the bank where the account was opened.

Hope nothing comes of your card being compromised.

**Greebo** · 12-22-2009, 10:20 PM

Well look at it like this... at least the inconvenience is that your card was cut off - not that you have to spend several days disputing charges that weren't yours because it wasn't.

**dcompton** · 12-22-2009, 10:44 PM

I agree that freezing the card was good, but I would also be furious with the bank. They should have been a little more proactive with a card. I would be shopping for a new bank tomorrow.

The shopping scenario lottalove described happened to me with the CC that I used to use for everyday purchases. I swiped it at gas pump, it seemed to be fine, I filled the car, then surprise! it was rejected - AFTER the gas was pumped. Huh? Fortunately I had ONE check with me and they accepted it. I called the company the next day. It was nothing I did, they said. They had just discontinued that particular card. .Didn't I get a letter telling it would be inactivated on such and such a date? No? Oh. Well, would you like to replace it with another of our cards?

I don't use ATM's often, but I may rethink using them at all. I had never heard of this scam. Is there no end to them?

**TigerGirl1226** · 12-22-2009, 11:02 PM

My card was cloned at a local restaurant. I went a few days later to get my DD some BK and it got denied for less than $4...I was furious. Very similar my bank said they notified me via mail...yeah, I got the letter like 2 weeks later. Thankfully, my bank makes new cards on site and I was able to clear it up the same day.

**Libby** · 12-22-2009, 11:03 PM

That's stinky that it happened to you. Just be glad they froze your account to prevent the thieves from actually being able to spend whats in your account. You're embarrassed, yes. Inconvenienced, yes. Out $$ and held liable for it, no

I think they're working extra hard to do their card copying at this time of year due to the high # of transactions.

**frugalfranny** · 12-22-2009, 11:18 PM

Oh gees, LL, I am sorry this happened. And who needs this EXTRA STRESS so close to Xmas - not to mention, who needs it period!

I hope it all works out and you have no more hassle from it.

**sinopa27** · 12-23-2009, 05:45 AM

This is just scary!! I keep hearing about this kinda thing happening to so many people that I am worried that it's going to happen to me soon. I hate that there is so much protection for those who do wrong. Like why cant you find out the name of the merchant that your CC/debit card got cloned so that you can avoid them????!!!

**scottp999** · 12-23-2009, 10:14 PM

Sorry this happened to you. Just makes me think that paying with cash has some positives.

**littleplum** · 12-23-2009, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by sinopa27

This is just scary!! I keep hearing about this kinda thing happening to so many people that I am worried that it's going to happen to me soon. I hate that there is so much protection for those who do wrong. Like why cant you find out the name of the merchant that your CC/debit card got cloned so that you can avoid them????!!!

Because it pretty much doesn't matter. It's usually not the fault of the merchant, but of their processor. And there are only so many companies that do the merchant account processing. You'd basically have to just avoid using debit or credit cards or checks to protect yourself 100%.

**shoiji** · 12-24-2009, 11:25 AM

That happened to me but I was notified by visa. Was able to verify with my bank that the visa notification was real. Went straight to bank to have my used card put on hold and a new card issued. The bank was really great and helpful with this. Made the whole process very easy. The best part was I did not have to pay anything.

**craftypam** · 12-24-2009, 01:17 PM

I also think it was good that they froze the card from future use, but they should have contacted you to let you know immediately. I would go to the mgr and question why they didn't and if you still aren't satisified with the answer, I'd change banks.