Credit Card skimmed - online purchases

[r8247]

Not to point any fingers. I recently made a purchase from one of the trusted rep dealers my credit card was skimmed shortly after. Not to draw any conclusions, but are these third party processing sites the trusted dealers use reliable and secure.

Outline of events:

Dec 2: Made rep purchase. Sent payment.

Dec 4: 2 $1 Paypal transactions charged to the card

Dec 5: 2 more $1 Paypal transaction charged to the card

Dec 5: Purchase at Bell Mobility for $160.

Dec 6: Noticed the first 2 $1 Paypal transactions charged to the card. .... This is odd as I do use Paypal and this card is not linked to a Paypal account. (I have online banking linked to VISA). I slept on it.

Dec 7: Noticed Bell Mobility charged for $160. Called VISA right away. Card cancelled and fraud investigation opened on card.

Dec 20: Fraud investigation calls me back this morning to update me on the status. VISA had been skimmed and I was credited back for Paypal and Bell mobility charges. She couldn’t give me any more detail other than the card was compromised. Which leads me to draw my own conclusion.

Notes:

-this is my secondary credit card (well third) which barely see any use

-the last time this credit card was used was 3 month ago on Sept. 3 at Walmart

-the time before that was at Canadian Tires on July 5^th

-only 7 transaction on this card from Jan 1- Dec 2 excluding the fraud charges.

So all in all, what is the safest method of payment? And what do you guys all use?

Again, I'm not pointing any fingers or calling anyone out. This is a lesson learned and I would like to take more precaution next time and that is all. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

[PhilFree]

The safest method of payment is PayPal. You are protected by PayPal as a buyer, and if the account is connected to a credit card, you are protected by the card issuer. Unless your PayPal account is compromised there is no chance of seeing un-authorized charges. I believe in the interest of the community, the offending dealer should be called out, if you are 100% certain this is where the problem lies.

Edited December 20, 2011 by PhilFree

[maxman]

I always use my cc when using pp..the reason Is.. if something does go wrong I dont have to rely on PP to correct the issue. PP only 100% covers you with Ebay transactions I believe.

I havent had any issues as far as dealing with the dealers here or any rep purchases In general. But I will keep my eye open for any unusal activity/charges going on.

Before you mention the dealer in question...I would contact one of the crew members or admin for advice.

Thanks for sharing your recent experence with us.

Mike

[r8247]

Correct me if I'm wrong but ...

Is it not possible for your credit card to be skimmed if using PayPal ? as your CC info is stored with Paypal and not with the vendor ?

I've never used Paypal.

[maxman]

Correct me if I'm wrong but ...

Is it not possible for your credit card to be skimmed if using PayPal ? as your CC info is stored with Paypal and not with the vendor ?

I've never used Paypal.

Good question

[PhilFree]

Correct me if I'm wrong but ...

Is it not possible for your credit card to be skimmed if using PayPal ? as your CC info is stored with Paypal and not with the vendor ?

I've never used Paypal.

Correct, if you are using PayPal it's not possible for the vendor to skim your details. When using PayPal the seller never sees the credit card. However, I believe the OP used his credit card and not PayPal for the purchase.

[andcaneron]

How can Paypal protect you if you are buying a rep? I have purchased rep articles on Ioffer, not watches, and used PP but I cannot write that I am paying for a rep item or mention brand names.

[txcollector]

How can Paypal protect you if you are buying a rep? I have purchased rep articles on Ioffer, not watches, and used PP but I cannot write that I am paying for a rep item or mention brand names.

PP doesn't care what you're buying. The thing is very simple: if you pay for goods (if you send gift that's your risk) the seller has to provide shipping information to your registered addressed. Even if they do that you can claim you received an article that doesn't match description.

PP will always side with the buyer.

[turnipz]

A lot of banks can email money now, would that be safer?

[slickdick]

Did you pay through the CC processor watcheden used to use?

[PhilFree]

A lot of banks can email money now, would that be safer?

When a bank wires money once it leaves, you have no recourse. It's impossible to stop a wire transfer. If you receive a brick from a seller instead of your thousand dollar watch, you are out of a thousand dollars.

[freddy333]

As suggested, Paypal is generally safe. At least, noone other than Paypal has access to your cc details, so vendors &/or 3rd-parties (hackers, etc) cannot skim the account.

Another alternative is to use a virtual credit card, which some banks offer. Some virtual cards allow the user to set the total dollar amount &/or a time-limit for each transaction (by default, most virtual cards auto-expire at the end of the month), so any subsequent charges against that card number are automatically ignored.

I use a virtual credit card with Paypal, which provides pretty bullet-proof protection. Everything I purchased by phone or online over the past 7-8 years was done with a virtual card. Pizza, utility bills, watch parts, all done with a virtual card. If I carried a smart phone or computer with me, I would probably use virtual cards for everything & leave my real card at home.

By the way, another possible, albeit less likely, scenario is that r8247's card got skimmed wirelessly by someone local. With the right equipment, a clever hacker, restaurant employee or store clerk simply scans the magnetic strip on your card as you pass them by. The only foil against this type of threat is to store your card within a Faraday cage (grounded metal container).

[grejyedi]

The key is

Dec 2: Made rep purchase. Sent payment.

What does sent payment mean here? Does it mean giving the dealer cc details, completing the epay86.com payment screen, what?

I must admit I wondered how secure epay65.com is.

[mikellem]

The safest method of payment is PayPal. You are protected by PayPal as a buyer, and if the account is connected to a credit card, you are protected by the card issuer. Unless your PayPal account is compromised there is no chance of seeing un-authorized charges. I believe in the interest of the community, the offending dealer should be called out, if you are 100% certain this is where the problem lies.

PayPal is the safest in my eyes, except now a lot of other dealers and good sites are not taking PayPal. They go through a 3rd party biller that pays them. So far,

I have had very good luck when I have to go this route! Except I can see where it can be a problem. I think if you are dealing with a decent bigger site, 3rd party

billing if fairly safe, as these larger dealers that do not take PayPal seem to look out for you.

Its there loss if you get overcharged! they know they will loose your business, so it doesn't make much sense for them to cheat you! Except there always are

exceptions and people get cheated every day. Just watch your accounts very carefully and I think you will be ok..

MM

[r8247]

Thanks for the suggestions. Too bad most of the trusted dealers here don't accept PayPal.

As for the suggestion that the card was skimmed wirelessly. I highly doubt this, as this particular card is a stay at home card and does not go in my wallet.

I forgot what the third party billing site was, as this was my first rep purchase and I did not pay attention at the time. Here is the detail from my CC statement:

GZ CUPSALE NET S&T CO LTD SHENZHEN $316.84

[PhilFree]

Thanks for the suggestions. Too bad most of the trusted dealers here don't accept PayPal.

As for the suggestion that the card was skimmed wirelessly. I highly doubt this, as this particular card is a stay at home card and does not go in my wallet.

I forgot what the third party billing site was, as this was my first rep purchase and I did not pay attention at the time. Here is the detail from my CC statement:

GZ CUPSALE NET S&T CO LTD SHENZHEN $316.84

Are you sure that this is not the company the dealer uses for their front? The dollar charges sound like a standard pre-authorisation from the company. When you see these $1 charges, it's usually the company checking to see if the card is valid. The amount is deducted from your balance, but it automatically falls off anywhere from 2 -14 days depending upon your card issuer.

[r8247]

Are you sure that this is not the company the dealer uses for their front? The dollar charges sound like a standard pre-authorisation from the company. When you see these $1 charges, it's usually the company checking to see if the card is valid. The amount is deducted from your balance, but it automatically falls off anywhere from 2 -14 days depending upon your card issuer.

Pretty positive, as those $1 charges were Paypal and came after the dealer had charged my VISA. Anyhow, that doesn't explain the $160 Bell mobility purchase which VISA had confirmed were unauthorized and reversed.

[sempire]

I think the $1 was charged because someone was trying to setup an account with PayPal and to verify the card they charged $1 to it and then Paypal needs the reference number from your bill to finish verifying the account. That being said, it seems that it could be likely that they have access to your online banking perhaps. I can't imagine that someone in china would be buying stuff from Canadian Bell Mobility.

[letter]

"Skimming" happens in person - not over the internet i.e a skimming device over an ATM, handheld skimming device etc.

At least that what the term means in Europe.

$1 paypal charges are usually just to test the card is valid

[PhilFree]

I think the $1 was charged because someone was trying to setup an account with PayPal and to verify the card they charged $1 to it and then Paypal needs the reference number from your bill to finish verifying the account. That being said, it seems that it could be likely that they have access to your online banking perhaps. I can't imagine that someone in china would be buying stuff from Canadian Bell Mobility.

Paypal actually charges random amounts less then $1.00 when setting up a new account using a credit/debit card to verify the account.

[r8247]

I think the $1 was charged because someone was trying to setup an account with PayPal and to verify the card they charged $1 to it and then Paypal needs the reference number from your bill to finish verifying the account. That being said, it seems that it could be likely that they have access to your online banking perhaps. I can't imagine that someone in china would be buying stuff from Canadian Bell Mobility.

That's what I thought too. As it was a charge to Bell Mobility Mississauga, so the first thing I thought was local. But the timing just doesn't make sense, as this particular VISA is used maybe 10 times a year and does not go into my wallet as I moved on to another card.

Anyways I'm not pointing any fingers as this could have been a number of reason .... which I could be totally unaware of.

The dealer in question has been great. Fast communication, quick shipping and overall great experience. Which is why I choose not to publicly name whom I bought from.

This doesn't hurt me financially as VISA will bent over back wards to reverse suspected unauthorized charges. But it's a pain in the ass to have to call in and open an investigation, cancelled, activate new card and wait for report. It's about trust here. I will probably order again .... maybe it's just beginners luck.

Just wanted to hear some thoughts and experiences that's all. Not to start a [censored] storm.

You guys have been great as always.

Cheers

[slickdick]

You dont have to mention dealer, but you can mention the processor.

[cib0rgman]

I always use my cc when using pp..the reason Is.. if something does go wrong I dont have to rely on PP to correct the issue. PP only 100% covers you with Ebay transactions I believe.

I havent had any issues as far as dealing with the dealers here or any rep purchases In general. But I will keep my eye open for any unusal activity/charges going on.

Before you mention the dealer in question...I would contact one of the crew members or admin for advice.

Thanks for sharing your recent experence with us.

Mike

Paypal cover anything does not have to be a ebay item, i know because i did a clam on a purchase outside of ebay

[maxman]

Paypal cover anything does not have to be a ebay item, i know because i did a clam on a purchase outside of ebay

Paypal cover anything does not have to be a ebay item, i know because i did a clam on a purchase outside of ebay

Not always.http://www.rwg.cc/to...h-member-lolos/ and not under all circumstances.

[asf]

my card got hit on the 22 for $397.37 I ordered the 243 from josh before then and that was 415. so definitely something fishy with that 397 and I disputed it