Unauthorized use of my Discover Card

[hac Member Find all posts View Profile Close hac]

I also had the same experience a few months back. I came home to a phone message from Visa fraud. I contacted them and found that someone had charged $800 on my card in two hours at Target, Nordstroms, and a Supermarket - all in LA. They shut the card down. Visa is now requiring police reports so we attempted to get our local police department to write a report. They wouldn't do it -happened outside of their jurisdiction. So, we called LA and they were totally uninterested and said fraud is rampant and did we really think they were going to investigate? That made me feel really good about the situation. So, we contacted the stores ourselves and found the security folks at Nordstrom actually had a video of the person using the fake card which they would release to law enforcement. The card didn't even have a name on it - just my number. But, they said with the new "do it yourself" card scanners, it didn't matter. LA finally agreed to look into it, if we could get a courtesy report from our local law enforcement. All this took many frustrating hours but we finally got the report and the information to Visa. But, far as we know, the video at Nordstrom's was never even reviewed by law enforcement. This was very eye opening - this person probably has numerous other victims and law enforcement wasn't a bit interested. Life in the big city I guess.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

I also had the same experience a few months back. I came home to a phone message from Visa fraud. I contacted them and found that someone had charged $800 on my card in two hours at Target, Nordstroms, and a Supermarket - all in LA. They shut the card down. Visa is now requiring police reports so we attempted to get our local police department to write a report. They wouldn't do it -happened outside of their jurisdiction. So, we called LA and they were totally uninterested and said fraud is rampant and did we really think they were going to investigate? That made me feel really good about the situation. So, we contacted the stores ourselves and found the security folks at Nordstrom actually had a video of the person using the fake card which they would release to law enforcement. The card didn't even have a name on it - just my number. But, they said with the new "do it yourself" card scanners, it didn't matter. LA finally agreed to look into it, if we could get a courtesy report from our local law enforcement. All this took many frustrating hours but we finally got the report and the information to Visa. But, far as we know, the video at Nordstrom's was never even reviewed by law enforcement. This was very eye opening - this person probably has numerous other victims and law enforcement wasn't a bit interested. Life in the big city I guess.

So Visa would have held you liable for your charges if you were not able to obtain a police report?

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

DW had her debit card rejected when she was going to make a purchase and had to call the bank to find out what happened. Her number was used online for a number of purchases by someone. She doesn't use the card online. The bank stopped those payments and issued her a new card.

I have been lucky...so far. I use my card a lot but haven't had any problems.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

About a month ago I got a call from Visa saying my card had been comprimised, but couldn't tell me /or wouldn't tell me why or how. It
made me nervous so I called the # on the back and it was true but
wouldn't tell me what it was. I had a feeling it was when I let Kelli use
my card in Walmart to get dog food and I didn't feel like going in. On the
back it says Ask for ID. Walmart has never asked for any ID. EVER.
They rushed me a new card overnight FED EX and that was that. shaggy

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I had this same thing happen right before Christmas. First I received an email and of course thought it was a scam or fishing

Oh...I just remembered my Visa card flipped out a few months ago when I got near my credit limit for the first time ever. I had to call them and they read me about 20 charges and made me confirm they were all mine. The operator was absolutely incredulous. "And then we have twenty dollars at some place called Woot? That's you? And twenty-six thirty-one at Amazon? And then another charge at Amazon? And then another? And how about this one, at Starbucks? And Paypal?" It was like the walk of shame.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I also had the same experience a few months back. I came home to a phone message from Visa fraud. I contacted them and found that someone had charged $800 on my card in two hours at Target, Nordstroms, and a Supermarket - all in LA. They shut the card down. Visa is now requiring police reports so we attempted to get our local police department to write a report. They wouldn't do it -happened outside of their jurisdiction. So, we called LA and they were totally uninterested and said fraud is rampant and did we really think they were going to investigate? That made me feel really good about the situation. So, we contacted the stores ourselves and found the security folks at Nordstrom actually had a video of the person using the fake card which they would release to law enforcement. The card didn't even have a name on it - just my number. But, they said with the new "do it yourself" card scanners, it didn't matter. LA finally agreed to look into it, if we could get a courtesy report from our local law enforcement. All this took many frustrating hours but we finally got the report and the information to Visa. But, far as we know, the video at Nordstrom's was never even reviewed by law enforcement. This was very eye opening - this person probably has numerous other victims and law enforcement wasn't a bit interested. Life in the big city I guess.

With the new do-it-yourself scanners, it doesn't matter? All I can say is neither the stores nor the CC companies are taking fraud very seriously if this is allowed to happen. There's a three digit number on the back of every card, if stores don't want to ask for ID, all they'd have to do is be required to imput that number before allowing a transaction to take place. Requiring ID isn't popular but, that would also cut back on fraud.

Until the stores and the CC companies get serious about fraud and actually do something that's more than reactionary to stop it, it will continue to be a problem that police departments don't want to mess with.

BTW, I'd cancel that card for putting the responsiblity on me to jump through hoops of fire to prove fraud past a signed statement that it wasn't you who made the purchases. If that's their idea of consumer protection, who needs them. May I ask, what bank is that card through if it's from a major bank chain like Capital One, Chase or BOA rather than a local bank or credit union.