Credit card Fraud

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

I just logged in to pay my Visa bill online and found that there is a $484 charge on it from 6/11 that someone bought at a store called "smarthomeusa.com"

It wasnt me, so I reported it via their online customer service link because they dont have phone service until tomorrow morning... I also left a message with "smarthomeusa.com"

Tomorrow I will get them to cancel this card, or change the numbers (I barely use this visa at all).... and according to them, I would only be liable for $50 of any fraud transaction.

I dont want to pay this $50 though... Im not the thief... Have any of you had this happen to you? Did you have to cover $50 of it or were you able to get the CC company to cover it all? How did you get them to cover the entire amount? suggestions?

Thanks very much you are a wealth of info here...

slodave · slodave's Garage

I've been hit a few times, I've never had to pay a fee. Fill out affidavit on disputed charges, yes.

sammyg2 · 06-19-2009, 11:48 PM

My credit card was used illegally a couple years ago after I bought something from tweeks, didn't cost me a penny.

Bill Douglas · 06-19-2009, 11:52 PM

I've had this happen three times now. Two occassions were in the same week. It's the banks processing going a bit whacky and getting the numbers wrong (Gawd knows how). I emailed them, to have a record of my communication, and they sorted it out with refunds a month of it happening. It is a PITA to keep checking to see what's happening though.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

thanks fellas for the feedback...it sounds like i will be ok and may not have to pay anything...i hope it is just a bank mixup and not actual fraud though

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

My number was used to buy some bogus junk. My bank caught it before I did. It did not cost me anything at all.

HardDrive · 06-20-2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

My number was used to buy some bogus junk. My bank caught it before I did. It did not cost me anything at all.

+1

We ended up getting new card 2 months in a row because of fraud. Our Bank of America caught it before we did. No charges.

Zeke · 06-20-2009, 12:16 PM

I had a nasty row with Discover. Someone bought airline tickets online with my card. WTF? Don't the airlines check ID before you get on board?

Anyway, after 3 months they decided it wasn't me and canceled the 2K in charges. I've all but quit using cards and am canceling them at the rate of one every 6 months. I have 3 now plus a Macy's. No gas cards, nothing else.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

I have my debit card that I use at least once a day. I have two credit cards. One I carry only as a backup on vacation. The other is my main card. I will charge the hotel room at Parade on it. The backup is only in case the main card is stopped by the bank again because of fraud. In the 21st century a credit card just makes sense. Just pay them off each month and they are a wonderful tool.

legion · 06-22-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milt

I had a nasty row with Discover. Someone bought airline tickets online with my card. WTF? Don't the airlines check ID before you get on board?

Anyway, after 3 months they decided it wasn't me and canceled the 2K in charges. I've all but quit using cards and am canceling them at the rate of one every 6 months. I have 3 now plus a Macy's. No gas cards, nothing else.

Crap, I've only ever had three.

My wife and I have a Visa for in-person purchases. We have a Discover for online purchase. My wife has a Bergner's card.

My CC info was stolen a few years ago and it sucked for the two weeks it took to sort it out not having a CC, which is why we have two "general use" cards now.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I've been trying to use my debit card mostly in the last few mos. to cut down on those big credit card bills. But I've heard gas stations are where your credit card is most likely to get compromised. So I always use a credit card for gas. I can deal with the cc fraud unit. I can't deal with having my checking account cleaned out.

john70t · 06-22-2009, 07:57 AM

You can put a limit on transactions, know contact proceedures at the bank/CU to bypass just in case, and pay big things by check.

Hope it's just a mixup.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Spoke to smarthomeusa.com... someone charged a flat screen under my card and billing addressed but had it shipped to: 2119 S. Dunsmuir Ave in Los Angeles....

So this thing was a total scam... In the process of getting it worked out with the CC company but they tell me they will take care of it...

Jagshund · 06-22-2009, 02:56 PM

You mean I shouldn't be expecting the television?

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

Unfortunately for SmartHome they are liable.

We are very careful to vet out ANY card where the billing and shipping don't match. What amazes me is the stupid stuff people try internationally. We had a guy trying to order 3-5 MSD ignition units at a crack. The billing address in Finland had the same street, town, and zip code as the shipping address in Singapore. Duh.

I tried to report the 6-7 transactions he made to the credit card companies and guess what? They didn't care, didn't want to hear it. Multiple calls to the fraud and security dept... Nothing.