Debit Card Stolen, But Not Actual Card?

[Verex]

This morning I received a call from my bank about a possible fraud charge. It was charged at a grocery store a few miles down from where I live. They tried to charge $500 to my debit card, but because of some steps I put into place, it was (thankfully) declined. The strange part is that I still have my card, but somehow they were still able to use my card? I haven't withdrawn any money from ATMs or anything like that. How is it still possible that they've gotten my card #?

 

[tippy2k2]

There are a few ways and you don't technically need the card to use it.

1. Any automated service.

Gas pumps are the more likely culprits but anything that you stick your card into and do something with it is susceptible to tampering. This is the most likely scenario for you since the grocery store was close to you.

2. A naughty employee. You use your card somewhere and the employee gets the info he/she needs.

3. Stolen from a website (like when the Playstation Network got hacked).

4. Drunken blackout?

 

[akai]

Someone might have copied your card, it happens these days. For example, you used your card somewhere and the machine (sorry, I'm really bad with this terminology, I heard somewhere that they call them skimmers, not sure if it's the accurate name) collected your data and then copied it on a blank card. Unfortunately, people are getting smarter and smarter when it comes to credit card frauds.

 

[Heronblade]

What Tippy and Akai said.

Another possibility, if your card happens to have one of the new "convenient" RFID chips embedded in it, someone with the right tools (which are cheap and easy to use) can steal card info just by walking past you. walk past enough people and a dozen or more chips can be copied in a single trip. The data stolen is not enough to reconstruct the entire card, it won't have expiration dates, your name, or the 3 digit security number, but it can certainly be used to drum up an identical RFID chip, which can then be waved past the reader at a grocery store...

Its a glaring security oversight that I am surprised people aren't more concerned about.

 

[Verex]

What Tippy and Akai said.

Another possibility, if your card happens to have one of the new "convenient" RFID chips embedded in it, someone with the right tools (which are cheap and easy to use) can steal card info just by walking past you. walk past enough people and a dozen or more chips can be copied in a single trip. The data stolen is not enough to reconstruct the entire card, it won't have expiration dates, your name, or the 3 digit security number, but it can certainly be used to drum up an identical RFID chip, which can then be waved past the reader at a grocery store...

Its a glaring security oversight that I am surprised people aren't more concerned about.

You'd think it'd be all over the news, right?

@Tippy
You're probably right on the gas station or the restaurant. The only place I really ever avoid is the ATM because I heard about skimmers stealing pin info. Guess there's a lot more ways to get debit card information than I previously thought.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

What Tippy and Akai said.

Another possibility, if your card happens to have one of the new "convenient" RFID chips embedded in it, someone with the right tools (which are cheap and easy to use) can steal card info just by walking past you. walk past enough people and a dozen or more chips can be copied in a single trip. The data stolen is not enough to reconstruct the entire card, it won't have expiration dates, your name, or the 3 digit security number, but it can certainly be used to drum up an identical RFID chip, which can then be waved past the reader at a grocery store...

Its a glaring security oversight that I am surprised people aren't more concerned about.

You'd think it'd be all over the news, right?

@Tippy
You're probably right on the gas station or the restaurant. The only place I really ever avoid is the ATM because I heard about skimmers stealing pin info. Guess there's a lot more ways to get debit card information than I previously thought.

It's been reported on in the past, people just don't care.

The other thing is, if it's the kind of debit card that can be used as a credit card, it can be stolen the same way any other credit card can -- the card number, and depending on what's being bought, the expiration date and security code. All of which you use pretty much any time you use it online. It doesn't make too much sense that a card stolen that way would be charged at a local grocery store, but I guess stranger things have happened.

 

[cathou]

pretty much like this

[link]http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-police-uncover-montreal-based-debit-card-fraud-ring-1.2286869[/link]

they change the pos terminal to put one that clone card, and retrieve the data later.

 

[FalloutJack]

This morning I received a call from my bank about a possible fraud charge. It was charged at a grocery store a few miles down from where I live. They tried to charge $500 to my debit card, but because of some steps I put into place, it was (thankfully) declined. The strange part is that I still have my card, but somehow they were still able to use my card? I haven't withdrawn any money from ATMs or anything like that. How is it still possible that they've gotten my card #?

Because of the wonders of technology, it is possible that someone has your card information and is attempting to use it on like the internet or something. How do I know? Someone tried that with me. I put a stop to it, though.

 

[Strazdas]

2. A naughty employee. You use your card somewhere and the employee gets the info he/she needs.

Not really anymore. the way the machines are set up at least here is that the emplyee only sees that transaction has been comfirmed.

Someone might have copied your card, it happens these days. For example, you used your card somewhere and the machine (sorry, I'm really bad with this terminology, I heard somewhere that they call them skimmers, not sure if it's the accurate name) collected your data and then copied it on a blank card. Unfortunately, people are getting smarter and smarter when it comes to credit card frauds.

and thats why you use lost-card credit cards. you need direct access to copy them and not just a scanner. the magnetic tape ones you could just walk by somone and scan their number.