Have you been Victimized by credit or debit card skimming? How to prevent it?
#16
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,892
BTW, I've who eats damage on those cases? Bank, issuing the card or merchant selling something on a stolen/cloned card?
P.S. Here in SEA, in Australia, Japan and Europe as well I was never asked to produce any form of ID when purchasing something even before the chip technology was adopted. Seems ID check is only US phenomenon.
P.S. Here in SEA, in Australia, Japan and Europe as well I was never asked to produce any form of ID when purchasing something even before the chip technology was adopted. Seems ID check is only US phenomenon.
#17
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 189
In the US, it is typically the bank. However, if the bank can show that the merchant was negligent, then they can make them responsible. I used to have a merchant account and once in a while if there was a fraudulent charge found, we would have to prove that we followed some basic steps (checked ID for in person purchases, shipped to billing address on card, etc.). Once we submitted proof, it was accepted every time and we were never held liable.
I believe the new chip cards are simply an extension of that. If a merchant doesn't adopt the chip terminals, then the banks are going to make them responsible for the loss. Even now, the adoption of chip technology is uneven. Just about every store has the new terminals, but only a few use the chip slot. I've found that stores that sell higher end items like electronics (and Target) make you use the chip. Grocery stores around me always make me swipe. It makes sense, grocery stores do higher volume small transactions where the speed of swiping outweighs the more secure but slower chip (if they take a loss it's likely on a smaller amount).
I believe the new chip cards are simply an extension of that. If a merchant doesn't adopt the chip terminals, then the banks are going to make them responsible for the loss. Even now, the adoption of chip technology is uneven. Just about every store has the new terminals, but only a few use the chip slot. I've found that stores that sell higher end items like electronics (and Target) make you use the chip. Grocery stores around me always make me swipe. It makes sense, grocery stores do higher volume small transactions where the speed of swiping outweighs the more secure but slower chip (if they take a loss it's likely on a smaller amount).
#18
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, GHA Titanium
Posts: 1,955
In the meantime, the us$5k is still sitting in my account, and appears on my outstanding balance both on the statement and on internet banking, despite multiple Citibank phone agents on multiple occasions telling me that they would temporarily reverse the charges ...
I forgot to sign the back of my Citi PM Amex, and not once in eight months of use did a waitress, cashier etc notice.
#19
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Scotland
Programs: Star Alliance
Posts: 476
Card details being bought/sold is big business.
Nothing you can really do to stop it but you can try and protect against it by choosing what banks to have cards with and refuse to be a customer of a bank that puts the liability on the consumer.
In Europe we mostly have chip and pin for everything and most online purchases go through 3D secure.
If I absolutely have to use an ATM in a developing country then I have a really good 0%FX PAYG card that I can load with whatever amount I want and withdraw from an ATM instantly, perks of that is that even if the card gets skimmed, I lose nothing and I'm not having to call up banks and deal with all of that while on holiday because I still have my main cards to use, when you are in a foreign country it's not always so easy to just get a new card to use.
Nothing you can really do to stop it but you can try and protect against it by choosing what banks to have cards with and refuse to be a customer of a bank that puts the liability on the consumer.
In Europe we mostly have chip and pin for everything and most online purchases go through 3D secure.
If I absolutely have to use an ATM in a developing country then I have a really good 0%FX PAYG card that I can load with whatever amount I want and withdraw from an ATM instantly, perks of that is that even if the card gets skimmed, I lose nothing and I'm not having to call up banks and deal with all of that while on holiday because I still have my main cards to use, when you are in a foreign country it's not always so easy to just get a new card to use.
#20
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,400
Happened to me over 10 years ago. I paid with my new credit card at a petrol station in Belgium, before hitting the road to the UK. By the time I arrived in Plymouth (~48 hours later), the card had been heavily used and already blocked by the card issuer.
They were pretty certain that there was a scam going on, given that I paid for petrol somewhere along the Belgian Seaside and that only a few hours later the card was used in New York City to order at McDonalds (for 2 or 3$). After that it was used at BestBuy and large stores specializing in multimedia and electronic goods.
By the time the credit card issuer got suspicious (who reacted within hours), they managed to rack up 2,000 or 3,000$ worth of damage. The credit card issuer send all transactions: They bought flatscreen tvs, iPods, phones, etc... .
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Interesting that so many people seem to be wary of using cards in "third world" or "developing" countries, yet every single example of fraud on this thread has happened in the "developed" world.
#22
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,892
Don't know yet. The fraud investigation apparently takes "6-8 weeks" (I got hit with the charges in mid-April).
In the meantime, the us$5k is still sitting in my account, and appears on my outstanding balance both on the statement and on internet banking, despite multiple Citibank phone agents on multiple occasions telling me that they would temporarily reverse the charges ...
In the meantime, the us$5k is still sitting in my account, and appears on my outstanding balance both on the statement and on internet banking, despite multiple Citibank phone agents on multiple occasions telling me that they would temporarily reverse the charges ...
/offtopic on
When I said several years ago and say again that customer service and protection in US is best in the world, somehow a lot of people in this forum take the statement as a personal offence.
/offtopic off
They were eventually caught, not cash was not recovered.
Last edited by invisible; May 11, 2016 at 11:03 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,400
It's simply a question of expected criminal profit. Would you go through the troubles of such criminal endeavors for little or no credit card informations? Doing those scams, where credit cards are broadly used, ensures that the criminal makes lots of money.
#24
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 70
I have a prepaid card with no FX fees that I use and top up 100 or so at a time using my mobile phone.
If any payment is made I can identify it immediatley, it also allows me to disable different types of transactions e.g. ATM withdrawls, swipes, online shopping.
All in all, clever.
If any payment is made I can identify it immediatley, it also allows me to disable different types of transactions e.g. ATM withdrawls, swipes, online shopping.
All in all, clever.
#25
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Scotland
Programs: Star Alliance
Posts: 476
I have a prepaid card with no FX fees that I use and top up 100 or so at a time using my mobile phone.
If any payment is made I can identify it immediatley, it also allows me to disable different types of transactions e.g. ATM withdrawls, swipes, online shopping.
All in all, clever.
If any payment is made I can identify it immediatley, it also allows me to disable different types of transactions e.g. ATM withdrawls, swipes, online shopping.
All in all, clever.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,320
#27
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: NZ*S
Posts: 773
Hi SpannerSpinner,
Thank you for confirming the unauthorised transactions on your account. Can you please complete the attached dispute form and return it directly to either FinancialCrimeTeam@..... or your local branch.
Please note, you need to list all unauthorised transactions (transactions you do not recognise) on the form.
We will endeavour to have the transactions reversed for you within 7-10 business days once the form has been returned.
Thank you for confirming the unauthorised transactions on your account. Can you please complete the attached dispute form and return it directly to either FinancialCrimeTeam@..... or your local branch.
Please note, you need to list all unauthorised transactions (transactions you do not recognise) on the form.
We will endeavour to have the transactions reversed for you within 7-10 business days once the form has been returned.
I forgot to sign the back of my Citi PM Amex, and not once in eight months of use did a waitress, cashier etc notice.
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: source of weird and eccentric ideas
Posts: 38,635
In a mountain town in Tuscany, there was a weird character hanging around the ATM. But we didn't pay attention to the signs. Almost 100% sure that's what our ATM card got skimmed. He even went back to the machine after we left. How stupid could we be. It never occurred to me. I thought the guy was just a random idiot.
In the US I'm not sure where it happened. Somewhere along the line, all of a sudden I was getting contacted by American Express. Interestingly, the Apple Watch link to my card still worked so American Express could cancel that card but I could still buy things with the watch.
In the US I'm not sure where it happened. Somewhere along the line, all of a sudden I was getting contacted by American Express. Interestingly, the Apple Watch link to my card still worked so American Express could cancel that card but I could still buy things with the watch.
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
In a mountain town in Tuscany, there was a weird character hanging around the ATM. But we didn't pay attention to the signs. Almost 100% sure that's what our ATM card got skimmed. He even went back to the machine after we left. How stupid could we be. It never occurred to me. I thought the guy was just a random idiot.
In the US I'm not sure where it happened. Somewhere along the line, all of a sudden I was getting contacted by American Express. Interestingly, the Apple Watch link to my card still worked so American Express could cancel that card but I could still buy things with the watch.
In the US I'm not sure where it happened. Somewhere along the line, all of a sudden I was getting contacted by American Express. Interestingly, the Apple Watch link to my card still worked so American Express could cancel that card but I could still buy things with the watch.