Charge I don't Recognize on my Credit Card

Namrok

First, I already called my credit card company. They claimed they'd handle it. They could also be lying geese. They are a credit card company.

But to the meat of it, a $215 charge from Target showed up on my credit card. It's not even the target I usually go to. In fact, when I looked it up, it appears to be in CA, where as I live in VA. They also claim it was an in person charge, not over the internet or anything. There is only supposed to be a single copy of my card, which I still have.

So I call them, they say they'll move it from a charge back to a hold while this whole thing is getting worked out, and that it might take 30 days. I might get something in the mail, I might get a call, they don't know.

Already I'm not liking this and sensing an eminent screw.

And it hasn't been moved to a hold yet.

So, moving forward, before its too late for me to fix them forcing me to grab my ankles, what should I do? Too often I see these stories pop up, and by the time people are asking for advice its too late.

amateurhour

First thing you should do is get that card cancelled and get a new one sent to you. Make sure you get them to verify the address you have on file, along with the phone number, etc.

Then, if someone does have a duplicate of your card, they won't be able to use it any more and that can be tracked as it hits the system if they try again.

Finally, you might want to look into getting a free copy of your annual credit report to see if there's anything else on file.

Namrok

The first thing I did was ask for a new card, and they said they weren't going to do that until they did their own investigation.

Like I said, I'm sensing a screw coming my way.

amateurhour

Namrok wrote: »

The first thing I did was ask for a new card, and they said they weren't going to do that until they did their own investigation.

Like I said, I'm sensing a screw coming my way.

You need to escalate that to someone higher up. They shouldn't be able to refuse a new card request. Document everything, including who you've spoken with and at what times.

Jaded

Namrok wrote: »

The first thing I did was ask for a new card, and they said they weren't going to do that until they did their own investigation.

Like I said, I'm sensing a screw coming my way.

Wow...
I would call back and ask to speak with someone compitent.
These are your finances... these people should be hugging your dick so hard that they could be mistaken for your balls.

Ruckus

A common theme for Credit Card fraud is some of the bad guys distract the clerk while the others replace the CC terminal with an identical model altered to record the info of cards processed through it. Later they come back and switch them, then they send the data to another part of their group in another city, or in this case across the country, who write the data to cards and start making the fraudulent purchases. It makes the original source of the breach harder to track.

That's why you'll notice a lot more McDonalds and 7-11's with their CC terminals cable-locked to the counter these days.

Reporting unauthorized use of your card in a City you've not been to recently (if ever at all) should be automatic grounds for them to cancel your card and issue a new one. If I were you I'd switch card companies.

3drage

First thing they should have done was close your current card and reissue a new one. Call them back and demand this. As for the investigation, that's a normal thing with all credit card companies. Both Visa and MasterCard have anti-fraud allowances, and you'll be covered once they determine the situation is legit (in person transaction out of state when you haven't traveled is legit).

Namrok

Well, called them back and made absolutely sure that they cancel the card and send me a new one. They say they concluded that the charge was fraud.

I'm still expecting bullshit.

But fingers crossed.

Topia

Anecdote and advice.

My bank phoned me a year ago or so and asked me if I had made any charges recently. They approached me, yes. I listed off a few charges, groceries, ect. They then asked if I had traveled. I told them I routinely travel between home and a nearby city. They then said "we need you to come in and get a new card. There has been fraudulent activity on your account, so you card has been cancelled as of now."

They took care of everything, even noticing an odd transaction.

If your CC company doesnt do this, leave them. Don't get a new card, get a new company.

Cauld

It's common for credit card companies to contact their customers about suspicious charges. After all it saves them money as well. Its actually very frustrating to me. I was trying to buy my wife a plane ticket and it got flagged as fraud (its a computer algorithm), when I called to get it unflagged I asked why it was suspicious and the response was "it was a plane ticket... and it was 10pm." I used to get called about $3-4 purchases I'd make about once every 2 weeks on my Visa debit card. It still comes up every 6 months or so, but its not a big deal.

I wouldn't at all expect a credit card company to cheat you out of any money in this situation. I'd be extremely surprised if it happened. After all, that's basically all they're offering is short term loans and the assurance that you won't lose money by having a card instead of cash.

darkgrue

Cauld wrote: »

It's common for credit card companies to contact their customers about suspicious charges.

Yup.

Just had this happen to me a little while ago, in fact. Got a call from the CC company asking me to call for "a routine security check" (their words). After making sure I was who I said I was, they asked me if I'd made two charges of around $4k and $2.4k the previous day for "artwork." I hadn't, and they said they'd mark them as fraud, cancel my card, and send me a new one in 7-10 days (ugh).

Turns out the art place calls me the next day. Same question. Turns out, some goose in Australia had placed an order for 200 pre-made gold frames, totaling around $4k, the shipping for which was going to be $2.4k alone. They thought this was exceedingly odd, as they weren't aware of a shortage of commodity framework in Austrailia, and when shipping is 60% of the order total and the buyer isn't balking something's got to be up...

Dude had emailed and FAXed this store a "signed" affidavit with all my CC info, expiration date, billing address and a note saying I was ordering on behalf of this guy. Apparently he was pretty hot to trot, since the shop had said the guy had contacted them several times in order to get the order pushed through. The irony is that when the store called their credit processing company, they said there was nothing fishy about it at all, since all the information matched. Luckily, the store didn't believe them.

I got my new card, and I've not been billed a cent for the fraudulent charges.

But trying to buy picture frames internationally, that's got to be the wierdest way to try and commit CC fraud I've heard of. o_O

Thundyrkatz

On the same token, make sure your credit card companies have current contact information for you. A couple years back, when my wife and I were paying off our CC Debt, we used one of those checks they mail you to pay off her higher rate card and move it to my lower rate card.

Her CC Company flagged the check as fraudulent and kicked the payment. Since my wife had not updated her phone number when we moved in together. So, we only found out about the problem when we got the letter from them in the mail, along with the late charge for missing the payment (since they kicked it).

Big hassle that would have been easy to avoid.