Stealing gas in godforsaken Whalley
So, while I was posting about RFID hacks, someone decided to clone my credit card and start living it up (ha ha universe, good one). I opened my online statement for the first time in a couple of weeks and lo, $53 at a gas station. In another city. Did I get a car and forget about it last week? No, pretty sure I didn't. I called the credit card company, heart beating uncomfortably. When I asked about the charge, the service representative couldn't seem to locate it. "How much was the charge at Esso?" she asked, "cuz I have new charges of $114 here". "Shut it down, shut it all down!", I shrieked. Okay, not really, but I did let out a convincingly desperate whine. Like I'm not broke enough already! So, card cancelled. Fraud department alerted. Ordering credit statements. The crappy thing is that I still have the card, which means someone either double swipped it or got my info from a business' trash. But where? Hopefully they reverse the charges. It's a funny coincidence that they just called me this week with an offer of "card protection" for the low, low price of 14.95 a month. Or is it? Hmm.
posted by grad student hack at 8:50 PM
4 Comments:
It sounds like someone double-swiped ya, rather than rummaging through the garbage looking for digits. The numbers alone are useless unless you're ordering something online, and I don't think someone is buying gas online.
Where did the other $61 come from?
card protection is a scam - unless you have written you pin across the front of the card and the person who steals it only takes cash advances then the company/store is legally obliged to ensure that it is you who are actually making a purchase. (hence the whole signing things). paper work for you (and serious hassel) but their liability - not yours.
although this does lead me to think you are leading a double life in whalley. which is scary.
Quote from credit card dude: "Yah, I don't think this is fraud since they didn't run up more of a bill. Usually they max out the card right away".
Ok, whatever. It's gonna be like that, eh. *pulls on boxing gloves*
Apparently the charge is just $53. I don't quite understand it, but a pre-approval went out on my account for up to $114 at the "pay at the pump". Wtf? Anyways, charge back in progress.
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