On Jan 1 of this year I noticed a strange email confirming an order with Zappos (later I learned that's a shoe store) and saw that the order was being shipped to North Carolina. Thinking the email was spam since I didn't know what Zappos was I went on about my business.
The next day Jan 2, I wondered if maybe the order was real so I checked my credit card statement online. Yep, the charge was real as well as almost $2,000 of other charges that day with other online merchants. Next I checked my bank debit card and found more than $5,000 in bogus charges from that day. With the total climbing I began reporting my compromised cards.
Here is where it gets interesting! Today I received a call from someone with a Middle Eastern accent (not a surprize) claiming to be with one of my credit card companies investigating the reported fraud. Now being wary of being put through the ringer again I demanded she identify herself to my satisfaction so I could be sure she was truly with the company. Three time I gave her a chance and three times I got the same response. "This is Lena with ** Credit Card Company** calling about your reported fraud." Finally I mentioned some less than pleasant words and hung up giving her no information.
Thinking about the deal I decided to call the credit card company and inquire with them about what they could have wanted if indeed it was one of their reps calling. After explaining the call from Lena to a real representative of the company he checked my accounts and could find no trace of anyone from the company calling me. The reported fraud was noted and charges credited to my account and he said "there would be no reason for anyone to call me about the fraud. If any of their reps would have called there would be a note on the file from their auto dialer at the least."
Upon further discussion I have learned when your card is compromised the crook knows when the card starts getting declined. With that information they wait a couple of days and call masquerading as representatives of your credit card company who is investigating your fraud report. It's all logical that the company would contact you during the course of the investigation and know the charges (because they made them). Wanting to do the right thing, many folks would unknowingly provide the crooks with their info again.
Don't get caught! Just because you have them stopped for now doesn't mean the game is over.
The next day Jan 2, I wondered if maybe the order was real so I checked my credit card statement online. Yep, the charge was real as well as almost $2,000 of other charges that day with other online merchants. Next I checked my bank debit card and found more than $5,000 in bogus charges from that day. With the total climbing I began reporting my compromised cards.
Here is where it gets interesting! Today I received a call from someone with a Middle Eastern accent (not a surprize) claiming to be with one of my credit card companies investigating the reported fraud. Now being wary of being put through the ringer again I demanded she identify herself to my satisfaction so I could be sure she was truly with the company. Three time I gave her a chance and three times I got the same response. "This is Lena with ** Credit Card Company** calling about your reported fraud." Finally I mentioned some less than pleasant words and hung up giving her no information.
Thinking about the deal I decided to call the credit card company and inquire with them about what they could have wanted if indeed it was one of their reps calling. After explaining the call from Lena to a real representative of the company he checked my accounts and could find no trace of anyone from the company calling me. The reported fraud was noted and charges credited to my account and he said "there would be no reason for anyone to call me about the fraud. If any of their reps would have called there would be a note on the file from their auto dialer at the least."
Upon further discussion I have learned when your card is compromised the crook knows when the card starts getting declined. With that information they wait a couple of days and call masquerading as representatives of your credit card company who is investigating your fraud report. It's all logical that the company would contact you during the course of the investigation and know the charges (because they made them). Wanting to do the right thing, many folks would unknowingly provide the crooks with their info again.
Don't get caught! Just because you have them stopped for now doesn't mean the game is over.
