Someone is spending my money!
- Thread starter Sush
- Start date
A couple years ago, my co-worker was surprised with a $20,000 bill on one of her credit card. Since the charge was too large, the credit card company did an investigation. The card registered that it was used at a high-end clothing store, so they went to the store to check the surveilance camera. Sure enough they found the person, who turned out to be the temporary employee at my company who was hired to help out my co-worker!!! 
Of course, she was fired immediately. My co-worker & the credit card company brought her to court. With undeniable evidences, she had to pay back every pennies to the credit card company, plus the court fee to my co-worker, and serve her sentence.
Justice had won out for my co-worker, but I think for the small charges, the credit card company normally just lets it go, which makes it too easy for someone to steal. I think they should do an investigation every time, and bring the offendant to justice.
Of course, she was fired immediately. My co-worker & the credit card company brought her to court. With undeniable evidences, she had to pay back every pennies to the credit card company, plus the court fee to my co-worker, and serve her sentence.
Justice had won out for my co-worker, but I think for the small charges, the credit card company normally just lets it go, which makes it too easy for someone to steal. I think they should do an investigation every time, and bring the offendant to justice.
I remember a number of years ago when i took out a Home Equity loan. I hadn't used it yet and got the first statement with a 28k charge on it. This was a charge that was not mine. I thought for sure there was some ID thing going on there. It took them three months to figure out that some dingbat at their home equity department keyed in the wrong number into the computer. Meanwhile they ran interest on the 28k on my account, and when they credited me back they tried to cheat me out of several hundred dollars in their calculations. What a rotten feeling it was during those months when I thought just maybe somebody had pirated my account.
Yikes.. Sush, I am SO glad this is mostly cleared up. Otherwise you'd have a pack of angry Chazzers after the asshat who stole your money.
Quite a few years ago we had someone make several thousand dollars worth of purchases on our credit cards in some small European country. They bought skiing equipment.. and were having it shipped to Germany.
SKIING EQUIPMENT??? Is all I have to say.
Quite a few years ago we had someone make several thousand dollars worth of purchases on our credit cards in some small European country. They bought skiing equipment.. and were having it shipped to Germany.
SKIING EQUIPMENT??? Is all I have to say.
You don't have to lose your card to have someone steal the numbers. there are a lot of places (hotels, restaurants) that still have the credit card number on the reciept. These places often don't both to destroy their copies properly and just throw them in the trash. Thieves go dumpster diving and pull out bags with all your info on them.
They can also get it from application forms for things that you've filled out like if you are trying to rent an apartment. These applications can have your SIN (I forget what it's called in the US) on it and when they get turfed (they have to be held for three years here) people will pull them out of the garbage and open cc accounts in your names. Sometimes they will activate things like cell phones with your number. So check your reports! You may find you have credit cards out in your name that you know nothing about!
I've never had it happen to me but I hear it can be quite a hassle to get all the paperwork taken care of.
They can also get it from application forms for things that you've filled out like if you are trying to rent an apartment. These applications can have your SIN (I forget what it's called in the US) on it and when they get turfed (they have to be held for three years here) people will pull them out of the garbage and open cc accounts in your names. Sometimes they will activate things like cell phones with your number. So check your reports! You may find you have credit cards out in your name that you know nothing about!
I've never had it happen to me but I hear it can be quite a hassle to get all the paperwork taken care of.
I still can't get over how COMMON this is! Everyone I've talked to has had it happen to them or someone they know. I'm very lucky to have caught it quick and that it wasn't merchandise that I had to prove I didn't buy. It was pretty easily taken care of but still scary and a hassle. I totally feel violated! It's a weird feeling to have when you know someone has confidential information that is yours! I'm definately going to take advantage of that free credit report a year that TM was talking about.
Noludoru...I know you guys got my back
Now I'm just waitihng for my refund and checking my online statement every day. That's something everyone should do as well!
Noludoru...I know you guys got my back
Now I'm just waitihng for my refund and checking my online statement every day. That's something everyone should do as well!
This happens all the time, and it has happened to me twice. Apparently store credit card records get hacked into (like TJMaxx) and then all those card numbers and names are up for sale.
I check my credit card bills line by line every month because what some of these slimeballs do is try out a small charge, like $9.95 and see if it gets noticed. If it doesn't, they come back later with a whopper. It is usually some online garbage, like software you buy online, so there is no way to figure out who it was. (I do like the story about nailing the gal who had a shortlived blast buying cloothes though!)
So far we have never been liable for anything, but it is a royal pain.
I check my credit card bills line by line every month because what some of these slimeballs do is try out a small charge, like $9.95 and see if it gets noticed. If it doesn't, they come back later with a whopper. It is usually some online garbage, like software you buy online, so there is no way to figure out who it was. (I do like the story about nailing the gal who had a shortlived blast buying cloothes though!)
So far we have never been liable for anything, but it is a royal pain.
Yes, apparently I am a skier and ordered loads of stuff from http://www.alpineskicenter.com
We still had our cards in our posession, but somenone had hacked the number from mine.
We had to file police report, and then they canceled the cards and returned our money. The police even called back and said that our particular case was already being handled by the feds because it appears it is one person/group racking up charges on a lot of folks from the same place.
I really don't see the big mystery in solving a case like ours..........I mean, the 'goods' HAD to be shipped SOMEWHERE right??
We still had our cards in our posession, but somenone had hacked the number from mine.
We had to file police report, and then they canceled the cards and returned our money. The police even called back and said that our particular case was already being handled by the feds because it appears it is one person/group racking up charges on a lot of folks from the same place.
I really don't see the big mystery in solving a case like ours..........I mean, the 'goods' HAD to be shipped SOMEWHERE right??
Cooper, I think it was Dateline that did a pieee on that. The goods are usually shipped to some innocent fool's home. Dateline knocked on this door and the guy was accepting "deliveries" for someone overseas who he said "loved him". He even had photos of this woman. It was so sad. Another case was where they had deliveries sent to homes where no one actually lived. They kept the house just for deliveries.
They put up a sign on the door about being disabled and just leave the packages at the door or the hall or something.
They put up a sign on the door about being disabled and just leave the packages at the door or the hall or something.
Victimless my butt! They nearly caused me to kill Kevin or my son thinking THEY had ordered all that crap LOL, not to mention my blood pressure.
I kept thinking about what would have happened to someone who lives week to week and could not cover the charge until they were reimbursed! Checks bouncing for their bills, food, and what not...........very scary to think about!
(I won't even go into the fact that SOMEONE eats that charge, and it ain't the bank in the long run sister!)
I kept thinking about what would have happened to someone who lives week to week and could not cover the charge until they were reimbursed! Checks bouncing for their bills, food, and what not...........very scary to think about!
(I won't even go into the fact that SOMEONE eats that charge, and it ain't the bank in the long run sister!)
There are also MANY people who have had their total identities stolen. One guy didn't even know until the IRS started harrassing him. Someone was working using his SS number and he couldn't get them to believe it. he had a huge heart attack too. There are people who don't even realize their entire identities can be used. That's why looking at your credit reports often is important. You can get a whiff. Also, scores of thousands of people's SS numbers have been used by illegal aliens as well. Protecting your social security number is paramount. Don't put it ANYWHERE where it can be seen or give to anyone unless it is the LAW.Drivers licenses have also been copied. Worse yet, huge data bases have been infiltrated and these companies get a fine that's a drop in their bucket. That has been in the news plenty of times and it's downright scarey. In the meantime, the people whose identities are stolen have to bear the pain and the government doesn't even use those fines to help them out. All you get from congress is a shiney pamphlet that basically says, screw you, here's all the work you will now have to do.
It's all been taken care of, it was linked to my actual bank account so I didn't have to cancel any credit accounts, just needed to get a new card and card number. Havn't had the money reimbersed yet, they said it could take up to 30 days??? What the heck, how hard is it to wire $200 back in, I'm sure it took a few seconds to take out...lame