Late yesterday we got a call from our credit card company about "suspicious activity" on our account...hmmm had not been on any wild shopping sprees...no monster purchases....we asked why we were getting the call.
There had been $300+ charged through a clothing company that processed payments in Ireland...had we done that ? I am a self-confessed Chico-holic (but that's another blog) and had not been there in the last week. I have to beg my husband to buy clothes....and Cosmo and Magic (our cats) seem content with the style and colors of their fur coats.
Our credit company has a fraud alert...and while they sometimes "alert" us to things we know we purchased...and we find this a little irritating...this certainly was not. The customer service person told us that there are internet sites that do not require names or security codes...just account numbers and sometimes expiration dates. As a result, people can and apparently do...just randomly choose numbers until they find one that works.
Safeguard your credit... if your credit card company does not have a fraud alert feature...make it a practice to carefully analyze all the purchases charged to your card on line on a weekly basis. The credit you protect is likely to be your own !
You do have to have an eagle eye. We had our bank id stolen last year and the rascals cleaned out three account. It was a NIGHTMARE that took 3 months to repair. Thanks BOA!
Sally and David,
I use my card hard and get a call from time to time. I never find it irritating, and I return their calls immediately and gratefully. Kind of like thanking the cashiers who check my ID. I'm glad they do.
You bet...checking is a good thing...we did have it happen once ...we were out of town and the card was declined...the credit card company decided we couldn't be out of town and use the card....grrrrr.....
Sally...
You really have to watch ... but I think that the banks need to be more proactive in PREVENTING this kind of activity, rather than the consumer having to deal with it after the fact! Have a great Sunday.
Good information. I agree with Richard as well, banks should be more proactive. When I had some fraudulous activity on my card several months ago, the bank told me it is up to the vendor to verify charges and if they do not, the vendor is on the hook for the cost. Mine were out of the country too, to ship to one of the Islands. All at $1000, which apparently is some trigger number
Great thought Richard and Peggy...if the vendor doesn't require the security code, expiration,name and whatever other safeguards an internet purchase can afford us...they should not be able to use it. An ounce of prevention...per Ben Franklin or someone's Grandmother....
Hi Sally & David:
Good thing that you got a heads up about that.
I guess we'll see more and more of this.
All cards should have a fraud alert.
Good idea to check on each card...no such thing as being toooo careful these days !
That is scary! Its is a good thing you have fraud alert!!
Sally and David, my credit card company has called a couple of times on large electronic purchases. I was declined once on a large purchase with a zero credit card balance. Had to make an extra phone call to make the purchase. I guess they were just being cautious. Little embarrassing though in the check out line.
We hear you Michael...we were on a road trip once (we only carry one credit card) and had our card declined after we filled the car with gas....Given the embarrassment...it's still worth it not to have someone have your number !
Sally & David - Glad it was caught in time. I check my card charges carefully each month, as this has happened to me a few times. Once, someone set up a scam to put out a car ad, and the voicemail to take calls for the car- on my card! It is sickening. The police don't like to follow up much, they claim, it's FBI, because it goes across state lines. But the FBI is too big to handle a lot of these thefts and theft attempts.
Thank you Wendy...heads up everywhere and guard your identity is the rule of the land these days !
Great tip, I reblogged you. Thanks! And thanks for stopping by my blog tonight, always a pleasure to see you!
We will make regular visits...thanks for the re-blog...I hate when people steal identities...or credit cards...we get ours confused often enough just being a Hanson...grrrrr...