Don't let you debit card out of your sight!!!!!

[Meriem_DZ 37]

I posted this in the ME\NA area but I wanted to post it here also.

I wanted to tell you what has happened since I have returned from Algeria. I went by the post office to pick up my mail. I sat in the parking lot and started looking through my mail. The first thing I opened was my bank statement. I had over 800 dollars missing from my account. I was freaking out so I went straight to the bank. We started looking at the statement and someone had used my debit card to buy 416 dollars of perfume from Perfumecastle.com. We also found a 100 dollar charge to Sams club.com. And there was 330 dollars in Insufficiant fund fees which I could not understand. Because even with the 516 dollars gone there should have been enough to cover the other checks and debits. Mind you this all happened while I was in Algeria. I signed an affidavit and they will start an investigation. When I got home I opened the rest of my mail and I had a letter from QVC saying that they could not get in touch with me to verify some information and that they were canceling my order. WHAT DAYUM ORDER!!!!! Anyway I called them this morning and some Chopf##k had tried to order a 900 dollar laptop computer. Anyway they used my number and QVC charged my account and the money was held from my account so the other things bounced. When QVC couldnt verify the info they cancelled the order and withdrew the charge. The good news is the bank is returning all the money to my account. The cancelled the debit card and are issuing me a new one. Then one of the other tellers came and told us about another customer with the same problem had come in the month before. An investigation was started and it turned out to be a server from applebees in Columbus, Ms. had stolen her number from the card. Then guess what? I noticed on my statement I had used my debit card at the same Applebees in the middle of Feb. I am anxious to see if it is the same person. Anyway, lesson learned! Never let your debit card out of your sight.

I have posted pictures of my trip in my photo gallery.

Meriem

[Jasman0717 8]

Damn, I hate crooks. Someone got a credit card number of mind and had a good time at some little gocery story in South America somewhere. The credit card company reversed the charges but I am still wondering how they got that card number.

[Fandango 1,439]

omG!!! What a nightmare! Thank God the bank is standing by you!

[JAYKE 0]

Wow, that's lousy!

Was QVC able to say where the laptop was supposed to be shipped to?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

YEah, I had Citibank call me the other day trying to verify the validity of a pending charge against my credit card account that I hadn't used in years. I told them no and to close the account. That took care of that one. It's aweful how that happens. Especially since it's a card that I haven'd used or even carried with me for at least the past two years. No mail statements or anything. Where they got that number from, I have no clue.

[iceyspots 0]

Wow, that's lousy!

Was QVC able to say where the laptop was supposed to be shipped to?

No.. I had the same thing happen to me... They could not tell me the address that the item was going to be shipped to, because they're afraid you're going to go there and choke somebody! They do however, give it to the authorities. All the CSR would tell me, was that it was someone from Orange Park FL, and the he had made several other orders to that address, with different credit card numbers and billing addresses.

[Meriem_DZ 37]

I asked them to tell me where it was shipped, but she said she could not tell me. She said they would give the information to the police.

[babybunny 2]

last year I recovered well over 100,000.00 in unauthorized charges Fraud is alive and well. you will be amazed how many people I stop at the airport on a daily bases. in none of the cases did the

persons have the credit, debit card nor the card number on them.

Edited April 13, 2006 by shonjaved

[Sinergy 3]

Damn, I hate crooks. Someone got a credit card number of mind and had a good time at some little gocery story in South America somewhere. The credit card company reversed the charges but I am still wondering how they got that card number.

youd actually be surprised how easy it is to get someones account number and use their card even without physically having the card. the FBI is trying hard to crack down on these 'account hackers' but theres so many of them.

basically if youve used your card anywhere, its in a computer system somewhere and if someone tried hard enough, they could have it and all your info and money along with it. its sad when some people resort to this instead of honest working.

[babybunny 2]

btw, next time someone from a business say - did you make a perchase. take them

a little serious. gezz. once the funds are used- you have to dispute with the bank.

we all know how muhc of a pain that is..

[Aymerlu 3]

Hope they get the idiot that did this

[babybunny 2]

the common excuse i hear all dayum day is.

" my brothers aunti twice removed best friend booked my tickets "

what if you decided...

"hey thats a good deal on the airline ticket "

you call the 1800 number. you pay for your tickets, you call

the airline its all set.

you think " wow - that was a nice deal on tickets to see my dear old aunti "

you get smart call the airline confirm you really do have a seat. a deal like that is " wowow "

then low and behold .

you arrive at the gate. you are called " important call for Mr joe public "

you hurry to the phone . guess what!!!!!!!

" excuse me sir but who paid for your ticket?"

turn out YOU are a victim too.

bottom line ..

fraud can work in all directions..

the cons tried to con a decent person.

decent person is now suddenly getting questioned.

I see it all the time.

[Dixie_Peach 1]

Meriem... i am sooooooo sorry that this has happened. I am glad that the bank is supporting you and returning your money!

and the pics are lovely! i enjoyed them!