I got my Debit card numbers stolen

Why am I putting a story about fraud on my debit card in the "War on Terrorism" section.

Here's my reason. How did the bank know that I didn't make a charge in another state. My pattern of spending included road trips all over. My debit card all of a sudden has been used in a different city in different states the next day after using it in my home city. This has happened multiple times.

I am guessing it has something to do with the "War On Terrorism", maybe when your phone and credit cards are in different cities, that triggers an alarm? Facial recognition? Either at stores or around different cities? I don't know, but a $50.00 charge in a city under 6 hours away on the next day, shouldn't set off red flags.

a reply to: thinline

Places you use it can swipe it into their own phones while your paying...then sell them or use them themselves.

Its a big problem...

Did you ask the bank why they caught it so fast?

It has nothing to do with terrorism and everything to do with preventing fraud and monetary losses. I don't know about your card, but all mine are guaranteed that I wont have to pay for fraudulent charges. That puts the loss on the bank if they can't collect. They do "profile" your spending habits and if anything is out of the ordinary, it can trigger an alert. I once had someone use my number to buy $1000 of beauty products from Belarus. The bank stopped that cold and sent me a new card within a few days.

This is a very good thing for you and the bank.

My bank also allows you to tell them if you are going to be somewhere different for awhile. I just got back from a couple of weeks in Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Ordinarily any charges from places like that would be immediately disallowed, but I registered the trip with them and all charges were approved.

My cards have been stolen several times over the years and the bank has gotten very good about taking care of the situation without any cost to me.

In my case, every time I used my card to buy gas out of town they lock it, so I use cash to buy gas when I travel
why? don't know

mysterioustranger - I don't recall my card being out of my site, but who knows for sure

Bluntone22- I asked how did they get my data. the girl replied with, "you will be amazed with all the ways they can get your data" which I took as, we have no idea, so I didn't press the it. since they were going to remove the charges.

schuyler-That's kind of what I mean, while the purchase was on the atypical side, but it wasn't out of the pattern range. I probably spend about $100-$200 bucks a year at home depot. Filling up for gas at home then buying something(a gift) at home depot in another state the next day, isn't crazy for me.

taking a road trip, my next purchase could have been a charge at a grocery store in another state for a higher amount then I pay at home (buying beer for a group not really food), I would think that would cause a red flag

a reply to: manuelram16

I have never had issues buying gas out of state. I think I have done that two or three times this year alone. which isn't a lot, but again, there is a pattern of out of town purchases every couple of months

a reply to: thinline
Find peace with this. No ulterior motives nor dark conspiracies on this one. This is to protect YOU this time. I even have a security chip on mine to assist in this . I have to swipe my card in a different reader than anyone else in most places.

When this started , my boss got this alert in her email. Even though she had traveled to this city in the past , this was not her doings. She was able to get another card and head off what could have been massive damage to her account.

a reply to: Gothmog

it did help me out. but here's another weird part. The day after the 1st weird charge, I was declined, but the day after I was declined, there were more debit card transactions.

Next time I go out of town, my first purchase will be $50 bucks at the local home depot, just to see what will happen

a reply to: thinline

When i finally bought a ps4, and spent a few hundred dollars on the ps store my bank called me to confirm those purchases.

When it comes to traveling thry still need to work out a system to let the profilers know your itinerary, and your manifestation. That way it allows them to scrutinize your spending habbits better.

I think southwest airlines includes a code in your purchase of tickets on debit cards to inform them of the cities you will come into contact with. But they do not include trip dates.

a reply to: thinline

It could just be a case of some employee being on their toes, or perhaps it as a business unlike any you have used in the past. I have had legit charges questioned before, and an actual bogus charge missed; I had to report that one.

Best advice, though, consider changing the account. At least ask your financial institution if the aount number itself could have been compromised.