Someone drained $2,000 from my debit card account

[jumptheshadow]

We'll be fine, and they're going to reimburse us, but this has happened to us three times in the past few years. Every incident occurred shortly before the expiration date on our bankcards.

The funny thing is, a woman from work got an e-mail from a friend who lost thousands of dollars in her debit account on the same day ours was looted. It was the same bank, which shall go unnamed.

We're in NY. The bank said the funds were withdrawn from an ATM in California by somebody with a cloned card and my passcode. This card has never been out of my possession.

Has this happened to any of you? Do you have any theories on how they do it?

[redqueen]

1. No... that's awful.

Glad you'll be getting reimbursed.

[KansDem]

2. Sorry to hear this, jumptheshadow

It's never happened to me, but then again, I've never had enough in my accounts to steal. :(

Happy to read you're going to be reimbursed! :)

[Coyote_Bandit]

3. I once had a credit card

that was activated for less than 10 days and never left my possession during the handful of times it was used - and yet it had multiple fraudulent charges. The charges were all made online for various computer services. Fortunatley the charges were all small and the suspicious activity was quickly identified. I filed the appropriate papers and was credited the amount of the charges and their related finance charges. Account was closed and new account number issued. No problems since. Have no idea how that happened. Tried to find out but the fraud investigators refused to share any information with me. I do know that banks reuse account numbers sometimes.

Glad everything will be alright in your sistuation.

[suninvited]

4. You should watch the show that is on Tru TV right now called The Real Hustle

I think that is what it is called, I watched it last week. SCARY !!!!!!

One of the hustles they were pulling was tricking people out of their bank cards and pins. Theives have so many tricks, it boggles the mind.

One thing I learned from that show is to be very very careful using those privately owned ATM's.

In your case with it being multiple accounts on the same day and at the same bank, sounds like there might be an insider selling information.

[jumptheshadow]

6. We think it might be an insider, too

Another strange thing, the ATM where the money was withdrawn is at Stanford University. It just struck me as odd.

[suninvited]

12. on BOTH of the accounts that you are aware of

being scammed on the same day through the same bank? From Stanford?

If so, no doubt that there is an insider, I would call the police and hound the hell out of them till they got to the bottom of it !!!

[Coyote_Bandit]

13. Sometimes cops simply refuse to get involved

Don't ask me why. It really makes no sense sometimes. I am aware of a situation where someone used a stolen card, was identified, confessed in writing to his victim and yet never faced any consequences - much less criminal charges. The victim was willing to testify. There was store video showing the transaction. The amount taken was enough to classify the matter as a felony offense. The card issuer had indicated they would fully cooperate in any police investigation or prosecution. And then there was the confession. Seems like but for the lazy ass Oklahoma cops it should have been a slam duck case. Does it get any easier to prove? No doubt the thief is probably still using the computer system he purchased with somebody else's money.

[shaniqua6392]

5. Similar thing happened to me with a credit card.

I had not used the card in over a year and it had a zero balance. Then I ordered something and the card had a fraud alert on it and had a balance of over $1,660.00!! It was for an online purchase at Circuit City in Oklahoma and I live in Michigan! The company did take care of it after many phone calls and I filled out affidavits, etc. It has to be an inside job. This card never left my possession. I also found out that they changed my address to a fraudulent one. It has to be an inside job because you can not make a purchase online without the 3 digit code on the back of your card. Just having the numbers on the card is not enough. I would say it is the same with your debit card and pin number. These companies really need to guard us a whole lot better since it is their employees stealing our data.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. Very weird. I almost hesitate to say this has never happened to me...

because despite my abhorrance of magical thinking I don't want to jinx anything. But this has never happened to me.

[CC]

8. Lots of ways they could get your number.

They can put a fake reader over the real one on an ATM machine that copies you cards information.

The can use a cell phone and take pictures of you using your card. Do not let any one stand behind you while at an ATM. If a person looks like they are waiting and won't walk out of viewing range let them go first.

Any computer system that your card is run through can be hacked and get it that way.

A small restaurant here had problem with debit and credit cards of customers getting false charges after they were used at that restaurant. A lot were regulars and it is a very small town so it did not take long for people to figure out where it was happening. Cops called in, investigations and they found that someone overseas had hacked into the service the restaurant used not the restaurant. It was scary but at the same time nice to find out it wasn't an employee (first suspicion). The service put in new safeguards but who knows how long until they are hacked.


If you are going to use debit and credit cards it is a good idea to check your accounts weekly at the minimum.

[Zorra]

9. One way: Thieves put tiny cameras above ATMs to read pins, as well

as placing disguised sophisticated devices, devices that read and transmit credit card info, over the slot where you put your card into the ATM.

They get your card number and pin this way.

[graywarrior]

10. A service announcement to everyone

Have your bank put an alert on your acct. No one can use your card or number without the bank calling you to check if it is actually you. The only transactions allowed on my acct are the ones I typically use--grocery, gas, bill paying. Anything else gets flagged. And the service is free. Totally worth it.

[Critters2]

11. Yes, it happened to me a few months ago.

They ordered $2000 worth of audio equipment and $800 worth of clothing from Old Navy and Banana Republic. My bank has reimbursed me, so all's well. And the bank got the address where the stuff was being delivered, had a private detective watch the place and alerted the local police. That was in Pennsylvania, I'm in Illinois. Two guys have been arrested, but that's all I know. The bank is technically the victim, so they probably won't give me any more info.

I really think I got phished. Even know when it happened. I ordered some cat supplies, which never arrived. I ordered it, I thought, from an Amazon merchant, but I think I somehow got linked out of Amazon or was never really there in the first place. The transaction never showed up on my Amazon account. I can't be certain, but I think this is what happened. Embarrassing!

Now, I don't use my debit card online, don't do much buying online at all, and when I do I click on the security icons (Verisign, Hacker proof, etc), to make sure they're authentic.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

14. happened with me and citibank. someone took 900 from my bank in california

[LibertyLover]

15. Yes, sure have

One Saturday afternoon a few years ago, I got an overdraft notice from my bank in the mail. I checked my register and there should have been $1200 at least in the account. So, I went on line and looked at my account. There were two $625 debits that I knew I hadn't made (they were from Wells Fargo of all places). So I immediately e-mailed my bank. Someone got back to me within an hour and said that the debits had been from an atm and were against my husband's debit card. He was away for the weekend, but happened to call home right about then. I explained the situation. He immediately checked to see if he had lost his card, but it was still in his wallet. I e-mailed the information to the bank and they closed his card immediately. Monday morning he went to the bank, filled out the paperwork and we were refunded the money and all the overdraft fees.