Tell me I'm over thinking and paranoid.

[jkaetz]

There are CC breaches all the time, some are publicized, others not even noticed. The timing and price are likely only coincidental. Was the gun store machine a chip entry or swipe?

 

[fullmetaljesus]

I wish I could remember. I'm thinking swipe since it didn't require my pin

 

[Hawkeye7br]

Years ago, my employer offered a discount gym membership. Shortly after my card was charged, I got several fraudulent charges. CC canceled that card and issued a new one. The next month, I call the gym membership and gave them my new card number over the phone. It was the only time I used the card. A few days later, CC called with more fraudulent charges. I call gym membership guy, he denied everything.

I told my employer, he did nothing. Then I cancelled the gym membership.

 

[AtTheMurph]

Years ago, my employer offered a discount gym membership. Shortly after my card was charged, I got several fraudulent charges. CC canceled that card and issued a new one. The next month, I call the gym membership and gave them my new card number over the phone. It was the only time I used the card. A few days later, CC called with more fraudulent charges. I call gym membership guy, he denied everything.

I told my employer, he did nothing. Then I cancelled the gym membership.

It could be someone at the gym or it could be spyware on the gym computer/cc system.

 

[PistolBob]

Debit cards tied to your money accounts are just waiting to be abused, and you'll be out the dough.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Debit cards tied to your money accounts are just waiting to be abused, and you'll be out the dough.

My bank gave me back the money I was out .
So no harm there.
I have never really had a credit card. I ope ed one and never used it so it expired. I may consider getting one for non bills and then just pay it off each month.

 

[Route 45]

My bank gave me back the money I was out .
So no harm there.
I have never really had a credit card. I ope ed one and never used it so it expired. I may consider getting one for non bills and then just pay it off each month.

I used to use a debit card for everything, until it got hit with a purchase in Romania. The bank put the money back, but it took a couple of days. That was the last time I ever used my debit card for anything. Except on the rare occasion that I need cash at an ATM, and even then I get pissed if the ATM doesn't have an NFC interface so I can use my phone instead of my actual card. (No worries about cleverly hidden skimmers)

I use a Capital One Visa for everything now and pay it off every month. I have made literally hundreds in cash back from my purchases the past few years. Their 1.5% cash back on everything adds up really quick. And it ain't my money at risk. Ever.

 

[jkaetz]

Years ago, my employer offered a discount gym membership. Shortly after my card was charged, I got several fraudulent charges. CC canceled that card and issued a new one. The next month, I call the gym membership and gave them my new card number over the phone. It was the only time I used the card. A few days later, CC called with more fraudulent charges. I call gym membership guy, he denied everything.

I told my employer, he did nothing. Then I cancelled the gym membership.

It could be someone at the gym or it could be spyware on the gym computer/cc system.

This. It would be very rare for the person at the counter to be foolish enough to try to use a card that they handled.

My bank gave me back the money I was out .
So no harm there.
I have never really had a credit card. I ope ed one and never used it so it expired. I may consider getting one for non bills and then just pay it off each month.

This is the proper way to use credit cards regardless of what purchases you use it for. You will reap the benefits of the card (many give you a % of your purchases as reward) and avoid the downside of paying interest.

 

[maxwelhse]

I may consider getting one for non bills and then just pay it off each month.

I went that way about 4 years ago and never looked back. The Catch Me If You Can guy talked me into it.

It's well worth your hour to watch, but the short version as it regards credit cards is that you're not liable up to $1 million and the burden of proof is on the CC company to prove that you DID make the charges before you owe them a cent. I had a couple of fraudulent charges about 6 months ago and I wasn't even slightly inconvenienced during the investigation. They shut my card down, sent a new one in about a day, and an affidavit for me to sign within about a week. 90 days later I got a letter saying they agreed they were fraudulent. Easy peasy.

Also, just like R45 said, I get paid to use my CC too. 1% doesn't sound like much until you apply 1% to every dollar you spend in a year. I'm about to buy a new TV and the cash back is a full tank of gas. I'll take free money for doing nothing as long as they care to hand it out.