Debit card fraud - remove CVV code?
 

So irritating!

For the second time in six months, there have been unauthorized online charges on my debit card. I get an emailed alert whenever my debit card is used online, so I called and blocked the card against future use, but now I have to deal with getting $514 of charges reversed and being without a debit card for awhile.

I assume this probably means that someone at a retail business where I hand over my card for them to run (e.g. a restaurant), as opposed to my doing the swipe/PIN (e.g. a Starbucks or Home Depot), wrote down the card info and then went to Match.com and on an online shoe shopping spree.

Suppose I obliterate the CVV code on the back of my card? I'd record it somewhere else, for when I need it. Would that help prevent this sort of fraud? Is there any downside to doing that? Do retailers use that code?

Stop using a debit card and switch to a credit card that you pay and use just as you would the debit card.

I suspect killing the cvv2 on the back would help since many/most sites require it these days, but not all sites do. It would probably cut way down on your issues, but may not stop them. Heck, even just putting a little paint on top of the cvv2. Then they would have to scrape it off and if you got the card back with the paint removed, you'd know that someone was up to no good.

Your bank should be able to instantly issue you a temporary card at any of its branches. ...

Nah. Not so bad.
Imagine having this problem AND living in Mississippi and being obese.
Now THAT would be a problem.

:)

If I used a credit card, wouldn't the person still be able to record the card number and CVV code, and then use it to make an unauthorized online purchase? Why is that any better for me than the debit card?

Good idea about simply covering the CVV code with paint (or correction fluid or nail polish.)

Because with a debit card, the money is already gone. You fight to get it back.

With a credit card, you notice the discrepancy on the statement, dispute the charge, and don't pay that amount. No money out-of-pocket.
Credit card issuer has a reason to get it resolved ASAP, as they now have skin in the game.

That's why I refuse to use debit cards.

Latest scam are people taking pics of the front and back of the CC while in their possession....waiters, etc...

That makes sense.

I still think it's worth it as long as you get to eat that strawberry bread pudding everyday.






.

Another good reason to use only credit cards is they (at least the Master Card I use) monitor your cards activity closely for "unusual" charges and will call you to verify if the charges are valid. On 4 or 5 occasions over the past couple of years I have been called by Master Card fraud wanting to verify some charges that were made were valid - they weren't. No, I didn't just charge 2 one-way tickets from Melbourne to Hong Kong (this during Chinese New Year). If fraudulent, they will immediately cancel the card and issue a new one..
It is a pain to have a card cancelled but it sure beats having massive charges run up and getting a big surprise when you get your statement.

+1 about the CREDIT card thing.

The credit card isn't 'real' money. I try not to use the debit card except at the ATM.

Use your credit card and EXPECT it to be dirty, and just stay on top of it and that's about as safe as it's going to get.

Yep, debit card, the bad guys take YOUr money. Credit card, they take imaginary money. Having a credit card get stolen sucks but much, much less than a debit card.

I've had my credit card compromised a few times, I fill out a form with my credit union telling them that I didn't make the charges, they cancel the card and send me a new one. For me it's a bit inconvenient since they don't have a branch anywhere near me so I have to get it mailed. Even with FedEx it takes a day or two. That's the extent of my grief. No worrying about my money in my account.

My bank does the exact same thing with my debit card. Just happened last month: had a few weird charges for small amounts (scammers use this to "test" the card and security). Bank called me, asked if I'd made the charges, I told them no, and they cancelled the card. Called me about 10pm if I remember correctly. And that's one of the reasons I love USAA; been with them nearly 20 years now.

What were we talking about again?

American credit cards payments are just showing intent to pay unless you have second thoughts. That is a peculiarity of US consumer protection laws, I understand. Credit card holders issued in other countries don't have that protection, even if they are Visa or Master Cards. A US debit card on the other hand, even if it is run by Visa or Master Card, is like cash. Once the payment is out of your hands there is no recourse.

The down side to this- A few guys on a pilot's board I visit have had their credit card denied while trying to buy airplane gas. Seems buying gas in one state, then buying gas a few hours later in another state a thousand miles away sends red flags for CC fraud, when all a guy is trying to do is fly his airplane across country.

That's a Homeland Security thing. Keeping you safe or whatever.

This has happened to me. I had a rash of denieds last year on my corporate card since I was doing a lot of state jumping. I have my card's fraud dept direct line on my cell.

Ian

If you're going to be traveling, some cards and banks have a way for you to let them know in advance so they don't deny charges.

Bull Schiess

Unfortunately a few months ago someone from Luxembourg gained access to my Capitol One Debit card.. they did the aforementioned test uses... a few bucks for a few transactions to test the card.... then they went into full charge mode...

Capital One shut down the attack within seconds, cancelling my card, They issued me a temp card at a local branch the next day, when I discovered upon trying to use my card at an ATM that is was denied..

They also credited my account for the charges the thief tried to post... a little more than $1500


While it was a pain in the butt for a few days... A US Banks Debit Card (Mastercard) had fraud protection was in place and worked well

Yes you call them and tell them your itinerary..

A few years ago I did a trip that I'm sure raised redflags all over... I went NYC>Mexico>Costa Rica>The place that shall not be mentioned>Peru>NYC

I called my bank and said that charges from the above countries should not be cause to deny my card.....

I travel with one physical card, I have the card info of back up cards written on some paperwork I carry..

Having worked in the sandbox for many years....have back up

I learned to let my credit union know ahead of time if I was going on a trip. Otherwise I got tons of calls from them to verify charges.

One more reason to never let a card out of your sight. At restaurants I won't use it. As much as I despise carrying cash, I don't trust people so it makes sense.

Afaik it's nobody's business (especially a bank) what I do or where I go. On trips, same issue - carry cash. Banks already know too much about us and control too much of our lives IMHO. The less they know about my travels, etc. the better off I am.

Better to use a credit card so that for any fraud, it's just a charge on a statement to be reversed, rather than actual dollars out of your account until the issue is cleared up.

PoP, congrats, you're the most paranoid person on this board.

Life is much more enjoyable if you just live it, as opposed to being wound up by everything.

^so true!

While cc will take charges off, until we go to chip and pin, a cc can be duplicated in about 10 seconds for less than $300. The security guys at work took my card, swiped it through a scanner they bought on eBay, then swiped a hotel key, and handed it to me. I later used it to buy gas. Scary stuff. I'd hate to be the last bank in the US to go with chip and pin or jump right to digital wallet. It will be ugly.

Actually do a little homework - there are lots of instances of restaurant employees swiping card numbers. Very easy to happen when they're out if your sight. Some restaurants (smart ones) have started using portable swipe units that can be done at the table right there so the card never leaves your sight and there's no opportunity for this to happen.

I don't like credit cards and only have one now which I pretty much never use. I much prefer my debit card since it's real money and it tends to deter stupid / impulse purchases when thought of that way.

I never hand over my debit card in a restaurant to anyone that will walk out of my line of sight.

The other day my wife and I were out to breakfast and when the waitress handed me the bill she said "please don't go to the register to pay, I'll be back..."
I just kind of laughed to myself and went up to the register to pay.

I don't know if it is the law or just restaurant policy but while vacationing in Canada last fall, when we used the CC in restaurants we were required to go to the register to swipe and sign for the charges. They absolutely would not take your card to the register and I thought it was a great policy.
'

I understand it happens, but I don't live for the 1% (or 1/10th of 1%). I live for the rest of the time. I hand over my cc 5 times a week. Never an issue.

And I treat the credit card like a debit in that I pay the balance in full each month and don't overspend. But why not take an interest free loan with points and other benefits?

Or look over your shoulder with Google Glass while you're typing in a pin.

Yep, some serious ignorance on display here. I have a VISA debit card and a MC debit card, they work exactly like CCs and both have been hacked more times than I can count. I've never been one cent out of pocket, ("fight to get $$ back").

The minute that either I or my bank detects fraud, the card is cancelled and I get a new one. Fraudulent charges are restored immediately to my bank account. The whole thing usually occurs before I even knew it happened and I get a phone call from the fraud dept. The cards have EXACTLY to same protections on them as any other VISA or MC card when it comes to fraud.

The buying gas in other states thing always triggers an alert but I simply have to respond that it's legit when they call and ask. Happens every road trip. I could let them know in advance but I never think of it. THe guy with the plane should be able to call the fraud dept. and tell them that all is cool, they then unblock the card while you're on the phone and the avgas flows.

One of my cards is BofA and one is Paypal, FWIW.

Other than a Denny's on a road trip, I can't remember when I've been in a restaurant that had a "register". Maybe Perkins in HS in the '70s? :confused:

I hand my card to waiters about 20 times a week and they disappear with it and bring back the bill to sign. I use it for gas constantly, (this is where card info is stolen in Los Angeles, on the swiper), use it online and over the phone to pay for whatever, never give it a second thought.

It rarely gets hacked and when it does, it costs me zero. Total cost to me from hacked CCs over 25 years=$0. When it gets hacked, it's a gas station in the Armenian part of town, 100% of the time. I eat out nearly every meal of my life, (or take food home to-go), and never had a server at a restaurant hack my card.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/all-about-skimmers/

These are becoming a lot more widespread, hard to detect and inexpensive for ne'er-do-wells

Agree, cash is king. It is so much easier, safer, and faster to do transactions this way, especially on small daily purchases. No ATM card either. I only carry credit cards for special occasions. On trips, especially foreign travel, I used to carry American Express checks. Great experiences with that MO. But, they seemed to have disappeared.

Watch this video - it's only a couple of minutes, and the ending may surprise & shock you. It is probably not what you might think, but something to behold for the modern times we live in.

Amazing mind reader reveals his 'gift' - YouTube

I use a card for absolutely everything and life is going great. I don't have much money to steal but I know plenty of rich folks who carry no cash, ever, except maybe a couple dollars in the console of their car for meters but those even take cards now.

Losing any $$ through cc fraud is a non-issue. My cc #s are out there on the web all over the place, auto bill-pay, amazon, you name it. If cards were not safe, the companies could not make trillions of dollars on everyone using them for everything. Guarantying your $$ is a big part of that equation.

What exactly are you guys who eat @ Denny's afraid of? :confused:

+1

+1...I'm not as paranoid as some of you folks :D. BTW....it isn't your bank or CU that's detecting this stuff...it's the CC/Debit card "service providers", and I've had my Debit card cancelled immediately due to fraudulent charges out-of-state too...just not a big deal "to me". I've also never heard of anyone ACTUALLY losing $ in recent years (wasn't always the case when Debits first appeared). CC/Debits are a BIG bu$ine$$....protecting the consumer comes with both these days as part of the "deal"...YMMV.

That is not true. It is the bank detecting use and profile. My issue is not as much the charge, that gets reversed or handled. It is about the personal information made available. Why do you think the Target breach and now the Home Depot breach are such a big deal? It's not about the transaction, it's about the information.

I'm not paranoid, I just prefer cash, as I hate getting a big CC bill in the mail every month.

I haven't used a CC at a restaurant in years.