# Just how, exactly, did my credit card get scammed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2024, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222 "2024-04-13T05:18:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/21 "2025-02-10T13:53:31Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I had a weird debit card incident yesterday. Unless your credit is no good, or you are totally irresponsible with credit cards it is best just to use a debit card only for pulling cash out of an ATM and use a credit card for payment transactions. Because if there is a problem with a debit card then it is your money or even your total account which is frozen. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/22 "2025-02-10T13:55:10Z")
Just yesterday, our VISA was compromised AGAIN! It had happened to us 3 times when we used to drive to Florida (we assumed it was skimmed at gas stations) to see my husband’s parents. But we haven’t made that trip in over 2 years and his parents have since died, so I have no idea how this card number was stolen. Luckily, the credit union offers a service where you can get notification of credit card transactions as soon as they’re attempted. I set mine for anything over $20 and any on-line purchases. So I knew immediately that the $150-ish transaction with Amazon was not ours, and I immediately called the fraud line. We’re now waiting 7-10 days for a new one. Then I got 3 emails about a paypal transaction - except I don’t have paypal, so I’m going to assume this is just a coincidence. But I did change a bunch of passwords. Meanwhile, I get to look forward to changing all the bills that are paid on VISA - luckily since this has happened so often, I have a spreadsheet with all the info in one place. I’m just glad it wasn’t on a debit card - we don’t need our bank account emptied by some scumbag. And apart from our regular bills, we’re in the process of booking a couple of trips, and I’ll need to notify several companies that the card I used to hold the rooms, etc, is no longer valid. Such a pain… ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/23 "2025-02-10T14:03:10Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > So a week or so ago I got my new credit card sent as the old one was about to expire. Activated it online and good to go. New ccv number but old card number. This is referring to the replacement card issued upon expiration - those often have the same number. It’s the one issued after you report a lost/stolen card that has a new number - and it seems @kambuckta is still waiting for that one. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/24 "2025-02-10T14:24:23Z")
Or only the fraud department has access to certain information. Which makes sense - there’s no need for a branch teller to have information about debit card fraud detection. It’s not like you can or would go in person to report fraud to a teller. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/25 "2025-02-10T14:57:32Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > This is referring to the replacement card issued upon expiration - those often have the same number. D’oh!! Thank you. Massive failure on my part to read for comprehension. 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/26 "2025-02-10T18:50:30Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > it sounded so scammy. I once got a robocall like that while I was traveling; the call came in while I was on a plane and my phone was in airplane mode, so it automatically went to voicemail, which I saw when I arrived at my connecting airport. I thought it could be legit, as I have had transactions I made while traveling flagged as fraudulent before (although I had put a travel notification on my account). I called my credit union directly rather than calling the number in the voicemail, and they told me everything was fine. So I assume that voicemail I got actually _was_ a scam. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2025, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/27 "2025-02-11T03:05:06Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But other than that, no retailer or restaurant will care. When was the last time anyone at a place like that asked you to prove the name on your card matched your ID? Most likely never. So I was able to add my daughter onto my card and give it to her to take with her to Mexico, since her compromised card’s replacement hasn’t arrived yet. The bank now knows where she’ll be traveling and says she’ll have no trouble using it anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2025, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/28 "2025-02-11T15:30:31Z")
This just happened to me yesterday. I received a text from my credit union’s Fraud Alert. The text shows the last four numbers of my card, the amount, and the vendor. I had to text back either Yes or No if it was a purchase I made. I texted No, then a new text appeared with a number I was to call immediately. I did and she went over the purchase details, put a hold on my card and told me to go the CU to get a new card. I new this was legit because I’ve been through it a few times now. I’ll go to the credit union today and within 15 minutes my new card is ready. What do some of you mean by not swiping the card? How else do you use it? When this happens, it turns my world upside down for a few weeks. There are certain payments that are auto-payments that will now be denied. I have to go through all of them and get the new card entered. I spoke to someone at the bank, after the third time this happened, and asked what the secret is, how do I prevent this from happening? She said there’s really no secret. That I could try using a credit card instead and then pay it off every month. I know what will happen if I do that, I will decide one month to just pay the minimum and then down the slippery slope I go. Last year we paid EVERYTHING off. I don’t want to get on that ride to hell again. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/29 "2025-02-11T15:44:46Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Just yesterday, our VISA was compromised AGAIN! …I immediately called the fraud line. We’re now waiting 7-10 days for a new one. That’s poor service in my opinion. We recently were notified of suspicious activity on our VISA card, called the issuer and received a new card in the mail within two days. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/30 "2025-02-11T16:29:21Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > When this happens, it turns my world upside down for a few weeks. There are certain payments that are auto-payments that will now be denied. I have to go through all of them and get the new card entered. Agree it’s a major PITA. My trick is to keep a list of every vendor or website that has my my card on file. A different list for each card. And the list is divided into automatic payments versus just ones where, e.g. the website remembers my card so the next time I make a purchase I don’t have to enter it. When one of my cards is compromised then as soon as I get my replacement card’s number I go to my list then online to update all the auto-pays. That’s typically just 5 or 10, so at most hour’s work and probably much less. The result is no bounced payments and no “upside down for weeks”. The problem is over and done with right there that afternoon. I used to also go through the list of places that had my card and update all those too. I’ve stopped that, except for a couple of places like Amazon that I’ll use tomorrow if not today. For everybody else, I just ignore the problem. My first purchase attempt there some day using the old stored but now invalid card will fail, and I’ll be triggered to update it there then. I’m sure I’ve now got e-tailers with cards that are 3 or 4 generations out of date. Doesn’t matter to me. If/when I next buy from them, they’ll get new info then. And meanwhile the obsolete info they do have can’t hurt me if it too gets stolen. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/31 "2025-02-12T11:44:26Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > My trick is to keep a list of every vendor or website that has my my card on file. A different list for each card. And the list is divided into automatic payments versus just ones where, e.g. the website remembers my card so the next time I make a purchase I don’t have to enter it. > > When one of my cards is compromised then as soon as I get my replacement card’s number I go to my list then online to update all the auto-pays. That’s typically just 5 or 10, so at most hour’s work and probably much less. The result is no bounced payments and no “upside down for weeks”. The problem is over and done with right there that afternoon. you are one organized guy - kudos my trick is to do **nothing** … normally businesses are quite eager to not lose you as a paying customer and write you friendly mails that a recurring CC payment was declined - upon those I update the card info. (not that I have that many) … but it also helps culling down some parasitic spending. I just got rid of a years’ old 3rd-line-of-defense-catastrophic-health-insurance this way ($8,- p.m)… they wanted me resign at their clinic … a friendly mail with a white-lie (sorry,I no longer living in this country) saved me this nusance. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/32 "2025-02-12T12:39:42Z")
Skimmers (devices that attach to machines that you put your card into, so as to steal your card details) do exist for retail card terminals -here’s an example of one: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7yv8wVtIDeY/maxresdefault.jpg "Skimmer @ 711 in L.A. Manager was mad @me for finding it. Follow to see video #scammer #creditcard") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yv8wVtIDeY) ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/33 "2025-03-14T15:42:37Z")
I’ve gotten these calls; I just politely thank them and tell them I’ll call the issuer directly. If they’re legit, they basically say “Good idea, fine”. That said, they ARE willing to do the verification on the spot. I assume this is for people who are ignorant enough to be willing to do that, and that experience has shown that if they instead call and say “You need to call the number on your card”, many people don’t do it. So it’s kind of an impossible balancing act and they have my sympathies. ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/34 "2025-03-14T16:38:03Z")
This is getting better. All the major card brands have services to which companies that do recurring charges can subscribe, and when a card is reissued they get the new number automatically. Not universally used yet, and probably never will be by Bob’s Bait Shop and Hamster Rental, but at least the biggies get taken care of. Next step in that evolution, I hope, is that they tell YOU that they’ve done this, so you don’t waste time logging onto those sites to update them! ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/35 "2025-03-14T16:39:29Z")
I have a great clip from a security camera: two dudes in line, one asks clerk for a deck of smokes. When clerk turns around, other dude snaps skimmer over terminal, takes literally one second to install. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/36 "2025-03-14T16:51:25Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Then I got 3 emails about a paypal transaction - except I don’t have paypal, so I’m going to assume this is just a coincidence. But I did change a bunch of passwords. Not a coincidence. Since lots of people do have PayPal, the scammers send these fake warnings out to everyone hoping people who have accounts will be scared and respond. I get warnings from all sorts of accounts I have and don’t have. Coinbase was the latest. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222/37 "2025-03-14T20:09:33Z")
I got an email supposedly from Discover asking me to confirm a $100+ charge to my account. I assumed it was spam and deleted it, then later got a notice from Apple TV+ that my annual subscription wasn’t processed. I had to re-enter the payment request, and this time when I got the email from Discover I authenticated the purchase. The next day I got a confirmation email from Apple TV+ that my payment had been processed. I have no idea why Discover needed me to verify the payment. I’ve charged more than than on the card in the past with no question. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-exactly-did-my-credit-card-get-scammed/1000222.md?page=1)