I have been seeing it in the news lately about how you could be walking about and someone walks past you and all of a sudden your credit card info is stolen. I know that there are some wallets that have material in it so that no one can scan your credit card info but how many people have this? I have also heard that you need to watch the people swiping your credit card at certain places like a drive through restaurant because some can be shady by swiping your card multiple times claiming the card didn't work right the first time when I'm reality they are swiping it on to something else other than the register.
To avoid being a victim I suppose the first thing everyone needs to do is learn all they can about how their credit card info can be stolen. If you know how it's done then you can at least know what needs to be done in case you suspect that someone is trying to steal your credit card information. There are also some resources which can be useful. Take a look at these articles: Log In Log In Log In Log In
It happened to a friend of mine that went to New York to run the marathon. I think he was in a restaurant and his card had to be swiped multiple times there in the process of paying for the meal. Suffice to say the server was doing more than swiping the card to pay the bill. I think my friend got a call from the credit card company sometime later that day, but not before some damage had already been done.
OMG! The fact that restaurant establishment employees are doing this is horrifying and terrifying. When I read the first post in this thread I just assumed that it was people on the street walking past you and doing this sort of thing. But to find out that people who we blindly hand our cards over to, trusting that it will be returned to us safely? This is awful.
Most everyone doesn't do what has happened to Onionman's friend often or we'd all be broke. Let not a few spoil our fun in life...so relax. There are sites like: *idtheftresourcecenter.org *FTC.gov/Log In *Log In (this is a most helpful site for just about everything from being victim of data breach to id theft.) FYI Dec. is National ID Theft Prevention and Awareness Month:Log In
My mother-in-law has one of those little reinforced wallets that prevents your credit card from being scanned. I have no idea whether it works as advertised or not. I think the biggest thing to keep in mind, already kinda highlighted above, is to never let your credit card leave your sight, and always watch extremely carefully whenever someone is swiping it through a machine. If they're swiping more than once without signs that the machine is somehow giving them trouble, you may want to call them on it. Even discretely asking for a manager to come over and have a look at 'the problem' might be enough to save you from getting scammed, though I guess that isn't always an option everywhere you go.
Well, I guess this is why the old ways are the best ways, ha, ha. I have got a credit card, but only keep it in my house and use it for consistent, wholesale purchases. Outside, I don't hand it out at all, nor even keep it with me. I have cash. Harder to steal with this sneaky technology I'd say, ha, ha. But this is very good news to hear! I didn't know this scam method existed, but now that I'm informed, I will be even more reticent in the future to bring it outside.
Unfortunately, I think some of these guys target tourist areas. I don't know what type of conversation my friend had with the guy, but all that really needed to happen was for him to say that he's a tourist and is shortly going to be flying out. He becomes the perfect target for a scam artist.
That is so screwy. But I am not surprised. I watched a travel documentary quite recently. One of the segments on it demonstrated how tourist areas have these restaurants that will charge more expensive fees to tourists, than they would their own native people. Then there were people who would wait by the currency exchange stores offering people better exchange fees than the actual exchange stores, and then scamming tourists who think they are getting a better deal. So this shouldn't really shock me.
I'm no help, but I found the best way to keep people from stealing your credit card info is to not have a credit card lol. Works like a charm! haha. I actually pay for everything in cash now. Not because of this issue - if I had a credit card, I would only use it for online purchases anyway- but because I'm a little rebel
These days I can never really relax when I'm using my debit card. It seems these unscrupulous people are everywhere! So far, I've been very lucky and never been targeted...touch wood. But my husband hasn't been so lucky, and has had 3 attempts made to steal his identity. At one point, someone maxed out his card all over Europe! Luckily, his bank put a stop to it and put extra precautionary measures in place to protect him. We really can never really relax or be too careful.
We have started to pay for things in cash and gift cards to avoid becoming victimized. It is a little bit of a pain, but less so than trying to get back the money you lost due to a thief. When we order things online I will put the items into my online shopping cart and then go to the store and buy a gift card for the amount of the purchase. We then use cash for restaurant and other purchases. That is the only real way to make sure you are protected.
Hahahaha, you're like I'm no help but lmaooo!!! You are actually a very helpful person, truth be told I have always wondered why I liked or preferred to pay for all of my stuff using only cash. My mother and sister are always telling me just to pay with my card when we go shopping, instead of wasting time taking money off at the ATM first, and I am always like nope. I want to use cash, and with stuff like this happening, that is probably a good habit to develop.
LOL! Why thank you haha.. but for reals.. don't want something stolen, just don't own that something lol. Or MacGyver a super hidey card pocket in your clothing and interrogate every casheir before you allow them to ring you through... orrrrr, live your life and deal with these things as they come, because they just may never happen. I got in the habit of using cash when having issues with debit became a common occurance for me. The stupid machines would always glitch out or I'd swipe the wrong way haha. I got embarrassed easily lol.. so I stopped carrying ANY cards on me and headed for the ATM before my outings. Easy peasy.
I like my card, because it allows me to do shopping online and such like that, and I like my conveniences, because I can be a very lazy Libra. But I do not want it stolen, as I work hard for the money that I do have. Hahahaha, yes I was the same with the swiping. It is hilarious that we share this correlation I do know how to do it these days though, but they are always changing how it works and the machines and stuff. Annoying right? Cash is just so much easier.
Ditto that.. the online shopping and lazy libra bits lol. I just can't bring myself to carry cards on me outside the house lol. Guess I conditioned myself after those annoyances.. I'm not actually worried about anything. If someone wants to steal from me, they need it more than I do and I'll deal with it. If there's a glitch (machine or brain lol) I can laugh at myself these days. Maybe it's the lazy Libra bit.. this particular convenience is actually less convenient than just handing over some pieces of paper, emiright? Though for online shopping they're a must.
How do you take money off at ATM's? Or do you go to your bank to take the money straight off instead. I would actually do that, but I cannot always get to a branch to take the money off as quickly as I need the money, or I just don't feel like having to go all the way into town in order to do so. If someone wants to steal from me, I'll kill them lmaoo!!! Oh come on, you know I'm one for violence by now lmmfaoo!!! I agree. This 'convenience is less convenient than handing over paper.'
I had someone get ahold of my paypal debit card just recently. They made a small charge I noticed when I checked my balance. I immediately alerted paypal who closed down the card, and sent me another. I have no idea where it happened...if it was a card skimmer at a gas pump...someone who noticed my card when I checked out or what...I use my debit card alot...so it was not a hppy experience. I am glad I noticed it when I did, or I could have been out more money.
I also have a Paypal debit card. think I ordered it years ago now, but I can't remember. But the first time that I went to use it in a local store, it was not accepted, and I have never tried to use it since. I couldn't even tell you where it is now - just that it is somewhere in my house, so at least it is safe from others.
People should really be vigilant regarding these things because there are so many crooks just waiting for the right circumstances to steal from people. I guess those wallets made from aluminum is the best way for now to stop identity theft when we are out in public aside from being vigilant.
