VISA debit card hack alert 3-22-13

[Frank Hunter]

I am in no way pointing fingers with this, just looking for more information and giving a heads up. My business VISA card was compromised on the 22nd to the tune of $580 or so. I use it very little, typically only for materials from a variety of vendors. According to some of the companies the fraudulent charges were billed to this is likely a payment processing scheme which is unrelated to the vendor itself of some kind. The last time I bought materials was a month ago from 3 different sources, all using the standard carts which require my shipping address (which was used in the fraud) so evidently there is some lag in the compromise and the fraud taking place.

 

[HHH Knives]

Frank that sucks. I hope you get things worked out sooner then later. Please keep us posted as to where the problem originated so we can try and steer clear.

Randy

 

[Mike Martinez]

Back in 09 my visa took a $2k hit after using it at a PX in Ft. Hood. It was time consuming and a PITA getting the bogus charges removed. Soon after, I switched over to AMEX for personal and business and have yet to have an issue. Heck, they called me last week to approve a gas purchase because it was not at a station that I frequent.

I wish you the best of luck reconciling your statement.

-Mike

 

[Frank Hunter]

Oh, it's going to get reconciled, the bank is already on it. I contacted all purchase vendors I had used over the last 60 days already to give them a possible heads up on it. I seriously can't find any malware at all on my machine and I am very picky about opening attachments, the hosts file was clean as well so it wasn't a redirect issue anywhere. I'm running Kaspersky PURE 2.0 and over the weekend tried several other standalone scanners and found nothing but cookies. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of those "1.5 million accounts compromised" news stories later this next week as my bank is thinking this is a larger scale hack due to the common scheme of a small single transaction ($6.65) to check if the account was still valid followed by several larger ones. Only has cost me about eight hours on the phone and no access to my account since Friday but I'll live...I just hope that my machine wasn't compromised as that would be a much bigger issue.

 

[HHH Knives]

I have my stuff set up so Every charge that hits the bank or my cards. I am emailed. This has saved me once already. Where someone did the small transaction and I seen it same day and had the card shut down and a new one issued.

Good luck and God Bless

 

[Frank Hunter]

Further updates after more phone time - The individual behind this has been hitting HUB Telluride, one of the companies my card was used fraudulently at, for a specific Ipod dock for several months using a bunch of different cards, with attempted shipping addresses all over the country. This started with them back before Christmas so I potentially have to go over my transactions since late last year to possibly find the leak. Evidently this is a USA based situation but the repetitive nature of some of the thefts doesn't sit well with me. Seems like a small time crook instead of a big Russian crime ring currently, and I honestly would prefer the latter due to the relative anonymity of it where this seems to be someone with a particular MO. Makes me wonder what I did to be targeted by that. I have laid some bait in several ways, as I am politically outspoken in other arenas and having a internet presence puts me at greater risk anyhow. I'll keep you all posted.