Vanilla reload broken PIN scam reports

Old Mar 19, 2013, 2:44 pm
  #121  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Atlanta
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I had another bad card experience a couple days ago. This time, the grey stuff over the PIN looked pristine, but right after I paid and scratched it off (intending to move the money to BB immediately via smartphone to avoid the problem I had last time), I found that the last four digits of the PIN were gone.

Here is the good part. I called VR customer service immediately, while standing to the side of the CVS check out counter. I wanted them to freeze the card to preserve the funds so that they wouldn't be stolen. The customer service rep did even better. He was able to take down the digits from the PIN that were still on the card, as well as some other identifying numbers from elsewhere on the card, and then load my funds into my BB account over the phone.

Swing and a miss for the fraudsters. But this game is definitely a little tricky at times. Oddly enough, it has made it more interesting than just the same old trip to CVS once a week.

The moral of the story from my two bad experiences in the last two weeks: Scratch to get your PIN and offload by smartphone immediately while still at CVS, every time. This avoids the fraudsters getting the money off the VR before you do if you have one where the PIN is still on it but the fraudsters know the PIN too. This also allows you to call up VR and get your money loaded before the fraudsters steal it if you get a card with part of the PIN missing.
GatorBlues is offline  
Old Mar 19, 2013, 2:59 pm
  #122  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,689
Originally Posted by GatorBlues
I had another bad card experience a couple days ago. This time, the grey stuff over the PIN looked pristine, but right after I paid and scratched it off (intending to move the money to BB immediately via smartphone to avoid the problem I had last time), I found that the last four digits of the PIN were gone.

Here is the good part. I called VR customer service immediately, while standing to the side of the CVS check out counter. I wanted them to freeze the card to preserve the funds so that they wouldn't be stolen. The customer service rep did even better. He was able to take down the digits from the PIN that were still on the card, as well as some other identifying numbers from elsewhere on the card, and then load my funds into my BB account over the phone.

Swing and a miss for the fraudsters. But this game is definitely a little tricky at times. Oddly enough, it has made it more interesting than just the same old trip to CVS once a week.

The moral of the story from my two bad experiences in the last two weeks: Scratch to get your PIN and offload by smartphone immediately while still at CVS, every time. This avoids the fraudsters getting the money off the VR before you do if you have one where the PIN is still on it but the fraudsters know the PIN too. This also allows you to call up VR and get your money loaded before the fraudsters steal it if you get a card with part of the PIN missing.
gotta love it.^ sounds like you beat them at their own game this time.
shoreline is offline  
Old Mar 22, 2013, 11:46 am
  #123  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: ATL
Posts: 186
I just came across an interesting news item on what would appear to be a potentially similar scam.

I'm certainly not claiming there's any connection but it would seem like the VR scam could run along similar lines, noting in particular, that the fraudsters had previously worked within the system.
PacificTwo is offline  
Old Mar 29, 2013, 11:42 am
  #124  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 52
Originally Posted by Autolycus
I posted over in the Walmart/Bluebird thread, but was directed over here, so will post here as well. I just bought a VR card at the CVS by Five Points. Tried to load it to BB within 10 minutes of purchasing. It got to the verify all information page and then gave the dreaded message that the VR network card had already been used. Called customer service and they said they would send a dispute package and that I should contact local law enforcement. Still haven't gotten the emailed dispute package. I guess I'll call them again tomorrow if I still don't have it.

I really think it's hilarious that they're telling people to call local LE. What on earth can local LE do that their own fraud department shouldn't already be doing?

EDIT TO ADD: Should note that all 10 digits of the PIN are on the card.
A non-update update: I submitted my paperwork/dispute form via fax on 3/11. On 3/20, I had not heard anything, so I resubmitted by email to the pseudo-fax system that customer service uses, just to make sure it had been received. I have still heard nothing in response to my dispute.

Anybody got a suggestion for how to expedite this a little? If it involves a direct phone or email, please send by PM so the person isn't swamped needlessly. Thanks in advance!
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Old Apr 11, 2013, 5:27 am
  #125  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Yesterday, I got two more bad VRs from CVS in Atlanta with the last four digits of the PIN missing. Once again, I called Incomm customer service right away, within minutes of completing the transaction at CVS and scraping off the PINs. This time, although the Incomm rep informed me the money was still on the cards, he did not agree to move the money to my BB account by phone. Instead, he froze the cards and required me to send in copies of the cards and my receipt. He said I'd get new PINs within 72 hours, but we'll see if they come through that quickly. They turned it around quickly the last two times, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

By the way, avoid the CVS on Altanta Road/Bolton Road (inside the perimeter not far after Atlanta Road changes names to Bolton heading south). I've gotten 6 bad VRs there and only 2 good ones. I had stopped going there, but passing it on my way back from Nuevo Laredo yesterday (best Mexican restaurant in Atlanta, by the way), I decided to drop in and grab a couple. It was a mistake, obviously, because now I'm tied up with the paperwork to get my money back.
GatorBlues is offline  
Old Apr 11, 2013, 12:29 pm
  #126  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 25
I suspect they changed the way they process these claims as they have no other way to verify if you are the good guy or bad buy.

I really do hope they catch these guys soon.

Originally Posted by GatorBlues
Yesterday, I got two more bad VRs from CVS in Atlanta with the last four digits of the PIN missing. Once again, I called Incomm customer service right away, within minutes of completing the transaction at CVS and scraping off the PINs. This time, although the Incomm rep informed me the money was still on the cards, he did not agree to move the money to my BB account by phone. Instead, he froze the cards and required me to send in copies of the cards and my receipt. He said I'd get new PINs within 72 hours, but we'll see if they come through that quickly. They turned it around quickly the last two times, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

By the way, avoid the CVS on Altanta Road/Bolton Road (inside the perimeter not far after Atlanta Road changes names to Bolton heading south). I've gotten 6 bad VRs there and only 2 good ones. I had stopped going there, but passing it on my way back from Nuevo Laredo yesterday (best Mexican restaurant in Atlanta, by the way), I decided to drop in and grab a couple. It was a mistake, obviously, because now I'm tied up with the paperwork to get my money back.
thisisyourlife is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2013, 6:47 pm
  #127  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
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They are now requesting a copy of the front and back of the VR card, a copy of your purchase receipt, and a copy of your legal ID. They will review and it will take up to 72 hours to issue a new PIN (although he said they attempt to get it done quicker). They advised that this is not solely related to VR cards and that this is a fraudulent issue that plagues all types of gift and prepaid cards ... only the VR issue has become more prevalent and popular with a specific customer (us) for legit use.

The recommendation at this point is to look at the card before you make the purchase, request to scratch off the card before you make the purchase (win-win situation, so the cashier should not have an issue with you doing this), and immediately off-loading the funds to a BB or other type of VR network card at the store.

As mentioned above, while the fraudsters have the PIN, they do not have the ability to activate the cards nor load funds onto them. You must play the timing game, unfortunately ... the longer you wait, the more opportunity they have to gain access to your funds (not sure how scripted their process is or how scripted it can be).
jibi is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2013, 7:47 pm
  #128  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Originally Posted by jibi
They are now requesting a copy of the front and back of the VR card, a copy of your purchase receipt, and a copy of your legal ID. They will review and it will take up to 72 hours to issue a new PIN (although he said they attempt to get it done quicker). They advised that this is not solely related to VR cards and that this is a fraudulent issue that plagues all types of gift and prepaid cards ... only the VR issue has become more prevalent and popular with a specific customer (us) for legit use.

The recommendation at this point is to look at the card before you make the purchase, request to scratch off the card before you make the purchase (win-win situation, so the cashier should not have an issue with you doing this), and immediately off-loading the funds to a BB or other type of VR network card at the store.

As mentioned above, while the fraudsters have the PIN, they do not have the ability to activate the cards nor load funds onto them. You must play the timing game, unfortunately ... the longer you wait, the more opportunity they have to gain access to your funds (not sure how scripted their process is or how scripted it can be).
Back when I had fraud (earlier in the thread) I had to do front and back and ID too.
agoogilydoogily is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2013, 7:45 am
  #129  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 52
Final update on mine with the full timeline:

3/8: purchased VR, attempted load to BB within 10 minutes failed
3/8: Called VR customer service to report problem
3/8 (late evening): Received dispute packet via email
3/11: submitted packet via fax
3/20: No word, no updates provided to customer service
3/20: Resubmitted packet via email that goes to fax line at customer service
4/22: Had heard nothing at all, called customer service, no updates had been provided to them, supervisor sent email to chargeback/dispute department
4/23: Received call to provide me with a PIN for a new "card"

If it hadn't gotten fixed by the end of this week, I was going to send a demand letter with a hard deadline for resolution or I'd file with local small claims court. I'm glad it didn't get to that point.
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Old Apr 24, 2013, 8:29 am
  #130  
 
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I received my new PIN today, a day after I opened the incident with Incomm. I was informed today that they have identified the fraudster and have a warrant for his/her arrest. Assuming this is not a ring of people, which is often the case, the race for loading the funds to your BB (or other VR card) should become a non-issue.
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Old Apr 24, 2013, 8:42 am
  #131  
 
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Two bad cards Atlanta

Yesterday I bought Two 500.00 cards at CVS in Atlanta (West Paces Ferry Road). I went to the car and tried to load them to my BB. However part of the pin code had been removed. I went back in the store and the manager refunded my purchase back to my credit card. I then grabbed some more cards off the rack and the manager noticed that all of the cards had been tampered with. From now on I will scratch off the card before leaving the store.
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Old Apr 24, 2013, 10:01 am
  #132  
 
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Originally Posted by GatorBlues
By the way, avoid the CVS on Altanta Road/Bolton Road (inside the perimeter not far after Atlanta Road changes names to Bolton heading south). I've gotten 6 bad VRs there and only 2 good ones. I had stopped going there, but passing it on my way back from Nuevo Laredo yesterday (best Mexican restaurant in Atlanta, by the way), I decided to drop in and grab a couple. It was a mistake, obviously, because now I'm tied up with the paperwork to get my money back.
I am amazed that this hasn't been stopped in Atlanta yet. Why don't they put the VR cards BEHIND the counter (like some stores do in other cities) OR have a CCTV camera trained on the GC rack? You would think the police or Incomm would want to stop this scam. I am starting to think this is an inside job with an Incomm employee or CVS delivery truck driver.

Originally Posted by jibi
I received my new PIN today, a day after I opened the incident with Incomm. I was informed today that they have identified the fraudster and have a warrant for his/her arrest. Assuming this is not a ring of people, which is often the case, the race for loading the funds to your BB (or other VR card) should become a non-issue.
I sure hope this is true and we read about it in the press. What's to stop copycats though?
DCBob is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2013, 7:59 pm
  #133  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
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This is interesting. Of the four local CVS locations in my area, only one had VR cards. That is the one I posted about yesterday ... they had 8 cards yesterday and I purchased 2 of them. When I returned today, they were all gone. I asked about them and they said they were advised to pull them a while back and that had not been done. They said this was the case with the other stores here, as well. That sucks.

On the bright side, I'm not really doing this for the long haul and I'm traveling through 5 towns this weekend, so hopefully I can find some without having to go too far out of my way.
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Old Apr 24, 2013, 8:05 pm
  #134  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,887
Originally Posted by jibi
This is interesting. Of the four local CVS locations in my area, only one had VR cards. That is the one I posted about yesterday ... they had 8 cards yesterday and I purchased 2 of them. When I returned today, they were all gone. I asked about them and they said they were advised to pull them a while back and that had not been done. They said this was the case with the other stores here, as well. That sucks.

On the bright side, I'm not really doing this for the long haul and I'm traveling through 5 towns this weekend, so hopefully I can find some without having to go too far out of my way.
I assume you're in the Atlanta area like the other reports. Is that right?
rrgg is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2013, 7:42 am
  #135  
 
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Reporting one tampered Bean in the Charlotte area this time. Got the fraudulent one last week-end in CLT and funds were missing 30min after purchase. Have to go through all the loops now! Sucks!
Good luck guys!
Minos is offline  

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