Warning - Visa Fraud Prevention Services

**shoiji** · 03-01-2009, 11:05 AM

Well, I woke up at 8:00 am this morning. Was nicely tucked in bed watching the news with the cat. When I heard my answering machine picking up a message from Visa Fraud Prevention Services. So first I could barely hear the message and second I didn't want to start freaking out so I went about eating breakfast and going to the store to pick up the paper (need the coupons, lol).

Finally decided to listen to the message. Come to find out someone used my bank card. I called my bank since I did not know if Visa Fraud Prevention Services was real or not. The bank said they were. So the bank cancelled my debit card today. Luckily the amount taken out of my account was small and I was able to notify the bank in time to cancel the card.

Have no idea how the card number was taken. Lucky for me the purchase was made at a gas station. I don't own a car and did not make any purchases the day it was made.

I am surprised at how calm I am right now. Just thought I would give a warning to everyone to be careful with your cards. It is sad to think this kind of thing happens, but with the economy the way it is, I can't help but wonder if this will happen more than "normally".

**Michelle68** · 03-01-2009, 11:53 AM

Thanks for the warning. It seems like it's so easy for people to gain access to personal information nowadays. It's good that your bank was on it and informed you so quickly. I check my account daily to make sure no fraudulent activity has occurred.

**rainbowgc** · 03-01-2009, 12:08 PM

I am very gad you got this pronto. Sad commentary on society

**shoiji** · 03-01-2009, 02:28 PM

I was able to get to the bank and sign the paper work to have this matter looked into. From the paper work it looks like this was done in Colorado. Not sure. Just glad I could get this taken care of before the snow storm that is supposed to hit this evening and tomorrow morning.

Gee, wish I really was in Colorado. I hear it is really pretty there.

**Guest57** · 03-01-2009, 03:21 PM

Were you able to find out WHO got your number and how?

**dcompton** · 03-01-2009, 04:46 PM

I have been impressed with the Visa fraud people. Once I got a call about a card I had not used in a long time. I used it for shopping one day just to keep it active, one of those days with a lot of small purchases at a lot of different stores. They picked it up as possible fraud and called promptly. I had to identify stores and approximate amounts to prove I was the one using the card. The other time I had two identical expensive items that I wanted as separate charges. The first went through fine, the second a few minutes later was rejected. Huh? I called them when I got home, and the card had been blocked because it was picked up as suspicious. I was annoyed at the inconvenience, but on the whole grateful the fraud protection system was working so well.

**MommyBliss** · 03-01-2009, 05:27 PM

Oh, wow. Glad they were able to catch that. Things are very shaky in today's society.

**Thevail** · 03-01-2009, 05:29 PM

DH had his identity, and incidentally card #s stolen last year. He NEVER shops online and rarely uses the card so we had a heck of a time figuring out how anyone ould have gotten the info.

We notified the police etc, and they did an investigation. Turns out that for $45 ANYONE who knows your name and address can just order an in depth credit report on you.

It includes your SS# and almost every stinking piece of financial information you have, including bank account #s etc.

Also, if you've recently applied for a job, or credit, or tried to rent an apartment, or switched your insurance...whoever you made the transaction with DID do a credit check on you..and they usually just throw that paperwork out in the trash after they review it. So it's pretty easy to get a copy off.

Also, as if it wasn't already easy enough for someone to steal your info, people are constantly "hacking" bank and other consumer databases, and just taking the info straight from the source.

**dschipman** · 03-01-2009, 06:13 PM

http://omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10574156

I am glad that I saw this post, I wanted to post this link for everyone on this board. There is a processing company that handles millions of transactions for Visa Mastercard and thousands of peoples debit cards have been compromised. Please, please everyone check withe your banks

**Pianolady** · 03-01-2009, 06:37 PM

I too have been very impressed with the Visa fraud department. They caught a grocery store that accidentally charged an entire days' garden center receipts to my account (a mistake/not fraud), and they caught someone using my number for a Vonage account in London. Who knows how that happened.