Credit card fraud

I've recently become a victim of credit card fraud. I've done all the safeguards like had a new account and cards sent to me, I filed a fraud alert with the credit bureaus etc.

Here's the rub: one of the charges was to place an ad on a used boat website, and I've received 2 phone calls from someone asking about a boat I have for sale on said website! WTF?????????

This is obviously a scam of some kind, and I can't figure it out. Can any of you great minds figure this one out???

Thanks!

reply to post by Drew99GT


Hmmm. If you haven't lost your card, then perhaps somebody scanned it. The fact that they used it to place an add tells me that they had access to the account , and were hoping to scam a down payment out of some poor sap.

Or, it could be a buddy screwing with you.

Just guesses really.

reply to post by Drew99GT


A person can be out and about doing errands.....you are standing in line ...waiting for your turn to pay....in the meantime ...there is someone standing in line with a scanning machine......they scan you and what is in your wallet...and/or you may be holding your card...and their scanning machine records your information....then they use it to buy ...what they want.

Or...you could be at an ATM...and they may do the same thing.

I think perhaps we all need to start using cash again.................

I am sorry that happened to you....I feel for you.

Over here in canada the big scam is for a person to change the debit/credit card swipper, to accumulate numbers of cards, then the machine is switched again and voila, they know have tons of card number to use to there benefits

my wife got caught in this scam twice in a year, the card compagnie knows about these issues so they just send a new card everytime it happens

I'm more worried and confused about the boat ad part. Someone used my card to buy an ad for a boat, and now I'm getting calls from someone inquiring about the boat! I found the exact boat online and my number and name aren't associated with it; it's a broker selling it.

It's a scam of some kind I can't figure out. It feels like a set up.

The used boat site is being used as a fake vehicle sale. It's pretty common on Craigslist for scammers to "sell" real items. What they do is post information, hoping that the potential buyers don't really check out all the information. They then direct the buyer to Ebay Motors for the sale. This makes the victim feel secure, and they transfer the funds, usually to ANOTHER victim. This second victim will then wire the money via Western Union or Moneygram to the scammer.

Just let the people calling know that you don't have a boat for sale, and that the classified is a scam. Other than that, you've done what you can to protect your personal funds.

Ah man, that sucks. Had it happen to a friend of mine, and it was such a big mess sorting it out. Hope it gets fixed up soon

I've heard about the scanners, but I was wondering how someone managed to get your phone number? You said they called about the boat advertised. Does anyone know if that sort of info can be ripped from the credit card itself?

Originally posted by dyllels
I've heard about the scanners, but I was wondering how someone managed to get your phone number? You said they called about the boat advertised. Does anyone know if that sort of info can be ripped from the credit card itself?

No, usually that information is gathered by a keylogger on the victim's computer, when they make a purchase online. There are, however, databases that get hacked as well, and all that information is inside the database's tables, and easily gotten once you crack the password for the database.

Originally posted by navy_vet_stg3
No, usually that information is gathered by a keylogger on the victim's computer, when they make a purchase online. There are, however, databases that get hacked as well, and all that information is inside the database's tables, and easily gotten once you crack the password for the database.

Thanks for the clarification.
So does this mean that it was definitely computer related, and not from an external scanner?
The reason I'm asking is because maybe the same thing could happen again with the new card? Maybe update computer security?

Originally posted by dyllels
but I was wondering how someone managed to get your phone number? You said they called about the boat advertised.

Well, someone apparently has all my personal information, to include my SSN because they called the Credit card company and changed just the area code of my phone number. What the hell is up with that! I had a password set for my account because of that. The other fraudulent charge was for vumber.com, apparently to set up a virtual phone number. Why would someone just change the area code of my phone number and get a virtual phone number? See, that coupled with the boat ad has me thinking I'm being set up to buy a boat with my credit card or something.

Originally posted by dyllels
Thanks for the clarification.

So does this mean that it was definitely computer related, and not from an external scanner?
The reason I'm asking is because maybe the same thing could happen again with the new card? Maybe update computer security?

It's hard to say. They can skim only certain info, generally to make a duplicate card that they can use to get gasoline or whatever. If they have more information than what could be read off the magnetic strip, I'd be looking to other sources, such as a keylogger, or possibly someone you purchased from being compromised.

Originally posted by Drew99GT
Well, someone apparently has all my personal information, to include my SSN because they called the Credit card company and changed just the area code of my phone number. What the hell is up with that! I had a password set for my account because of that. The other fraudulent charge was for vumber.com, apparently to set up a virtual phone number. Why would someone just change the area code of my phone number and get a virtual phone number? See, that coupled with the boat ad has me thinking I'm being set up to buy a boat with my credit card or something.

What they're doing is trying to cover their tracks, and distance the credit card from you. They will set up the vphone so that they can validate the card via the bogus number. The part of changing the area code is simple, it stops YOU from getting calls! Then, they can call in again, and change the number again to the new bogus vphone number.

If your SSN has been compromised, you're going to want to make sure you have fraud alerts on ALL 3 major credit bureaus. Also, sign up for something "like" Lifelock for a short time, or freecreditreport.com and make sure you check your accounts DAILY and verify that nothing new is popping up. You're now a victim of identity theft, and this will be a lifelong battle for you. You'll go months, maybe even years with nothing, then your info will surface again.

These people are part of organized crime. Whether it's Russian Mafia, or Nigerian Oga's, it's all the same, they want your money. Your information is now probably in the hands of hundreds of these animals, and you're going to have to stay on top of your credit.

The credit card theft is common, it happens all the time. The weird part of your story is the boat ad. It is my understanding that individual ads are free to post. However, businesses pay a fee. If your card was used for a Craigslist ad, it was an unscrupulous business that did it. The kink in the story is that your number is popping up for the boat. It may be that Craigslist automatically lists the phone number associated with the card because of this very thing.

Because of this Craigslist connection, the credit card company may be able to find the thief.

I have a similar story, only with a debit card. I drove through a fast food joint on my lunch hour in Denton, Texas. I was driving a nice sports car and I think the fast food clerk thought I had lots of money or something. He took my debit card and disappeared for several minutes, which made me nervous, but I was running late and didn't think much of it.

The next day I tried to make a purchase and my card was rejected. Long story short, the thief made a copy of my card and then went on a spending spree all over the DFW area, basically buying $300 Visa gift cards. I actually called one of the stores, a Walgreens, and the manager ran the video surveillance and there was the thief using my dummy card, which the clerk had to input by hand since the magnetic strip was fake. There was even tape of the thief's license number in the parking lot. I had to file a police report and jump through a bunch of hoops. Know what happened to the thief? NOTHING.

Caveat emptor when it comes to using a card. Good luck finding the crook. Craigslist is your link to him.

Actually, there is no Craigslist connection. The boat ad is on the used boat website, of which my account was charged to place an ad! That's the strange thing about it. And that ad does not have my phone number listed. I can't find ANY boat ad with my phone number online.

One of my mom's credit cards was fraudulently accessed in the past two weeks. They tried to transfer a $1900 balance to one card! Also they fraudulently ordered 4 orders through a payapal account that WAS NOT hers. I have helped my mom figure out how to make a faraday cage for all the cards, and she is in the process of closing all of the accounts at the moment.

Friends on ATS, please remember that if you have one of these pesky pieces of plastic-shield it with metal. Aluminum foil that's wrapped to be fairly thick works as far as I know. Just make sure there's no breaks in the foil at any point (the cards are surrounded completely).

Also, if you have to keep a credit card in your wallet or purse, a wise investment would be one of those portable faraday cages which blocks people from "drive-by" scanning of the cards you have on you.

My mom mentioned how Gerald Celente said a couple years ago that we would see a lot more fraudulent activity from the bankers themselves. In her case, I don't think that's what happened. We live in a fairly sizeable town, so I could see how a driveby could be possible.

What's scary about this is the fact that she's been trying to pay the balance down on several cards for quite some time, and she notices how the balance never really seems to go down. I asked her to get detailed records of each of the accounts, to find out if she has had any other accounts compromised.

To the OP: I'm very sorry to hear what has happened to you. I fear that these types of schemes are going to be on the rise in the next few years.

Here's an article from yesterday about a $50 million dollar scandal involving fraudulent card activity:

CBS NEWS LINK: Minnesota: Jury convicts 2 in $50M bank fraud

MINNEAPOLIS — A federal jury in Minnesota convicted two people on Tuesday for their roles in a $50 million bank fraud conspiracy that authorities say depended on identity theft by employees of some of America's largest banks.

Julian Okeayaninneh, 43, of Colton, Calif., and Olugbenga Temidago Adeniran, 35, of Minneapolis, were found guilty of multiple counts, including bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Two other defendants were acquitted after the three-week trial in U.S. District Court.

So far, 27 people have either pleaded guilty or been convicted in the scheme, in which customer identities were stolen, then bought and sold, and used to create phony bank and credit card accounts, apply for loans, or get cash. Prosecutors say the conspiracy was carried out from 2006 through 2011 in Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, Arizona, New York and Texas.