Scams like these

[Forg]

I passed Nambucca Heads in 1997

That must have hurt!
Will toilet humour EVER get old?!?!

Someone is somehow getting my credit card details. This is getting very scary.

It does smell like somewhere you visit regularly is palming the details every now & again, doesn't it?

 

[prozac]

I passed Nambucca Heads in 1997. I've been in Brisbane the past 3 months apart from same day return to SYD last month.

Someone is somehow getting my credit card details. This is getting very scary.

I make it a policy never to shop online after 6pm.

 

[Happy Dude]

I've received two wish cards for $5 and $8 respectively. No recollection of ordering them so was naturally very suspicious. They came from the same email address and were very similar but not identical to those I'd received before, but the links in the email were quite different. Suss as according to the annual IT security training I receive.

I would have hit delete but before I could, a package from Big W that my wife ordered arrived without two of the items; one for $5 and one for $8. I thought they just refunded to the payment method which was Amex in this case. 13 free Amex points!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

JohnK the only thing to do is to change banks to something a bit robuster.
But, in the end, all banks and all cards can fall into the hands of scammers.
Visa/Mastercard debit with low balance might be the only way to do it, ie, avert possible card scam transactions.
Not sure how they got your number, but even for ING, in the past about 24/30 months, back, they (scammers) were also able to get hold of my card number, I have an inkling where, but I am not 100% sure, so can't point the finger.
I can trace it to a certain store, where I tapped and paid for some food item.
Few days later, pling, yep, I got an sms to call my bank, and indeed, someone had tried to take a $0 pre autho on list services.
It does not have to be at that particular store in Nambucca, it could be anywhere, that you have used the card from its issue date till now.
Lots of banks have their cards on a 5 year life, so over that time, we of course, spend the money, ie, use the card in many places.
Maybe start using a visa debit, without a credit overdraft facility, and keep a low amount in the account, so if they try to take $500 but you have a $250 balance, it would be declined.
You can always have extra funds in a linked account, with the same bank, that does not have card access, so it makes it harder for scammers to withdraw from it.
Not impossible, as I am sure we have also heard of scammers successfully taking money from people's superannuation accounts, without their knowledge.
===

I've received two wish cards for $5 and $8 respectively. No recollection of ordering them so was naturally very suspicious. They came from the same email address and were very similar but not identical to those I'd received before, but the links in the email were quite different. Suss as according to the annual IT security training I receive.

I would have hit delete but before I could, a package from Big W that my wife ordered arrived without two of the items; one for $5 and one for $8. I thought they just refunded to the payment method which was Amex in this case. 13 free Amex points!

So, we can deduce the $5 and $8 were refunds for what BigW couldn't deliver?
That one is an interesting concept.
Its not unknown for scammers to send gift to people using fraud cards to pay for it.
Personally, I would not know what to do with those cards, assuming they were dodgy, what did you do with them?
Spend at Woolworths for more items?
===
More missed calls from iffy number
0387973612

 

[JohnK]

That must have hurt!
Will toilet humour EVER get old?!?!

It does smell like somewhere you visit regularly is palming the details every now & again, doesn't it?

Nambucca Heads has a wonderful golf course that I must play when time permits.

This is the HSBC Visa. It doesn't leave the credit card wallet and I tap it while it's still attached to the credit card wallet.

Can someone add credit card details to Square without physically having the card? I added my credit card details to Afterpay app with scanning my credit card.

I'd say the 28 degrees Mastercard and Virgin Visa were somehow compromised in Thailand but the ANZ Visa and HSBC Visa are my main credit cards in Australia and someone is passing credit card details to their friends or selling details from one of the online places where I've used these cards. Who?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I think that "card not present" transaction can be done, in some circumstances.
We can only guesstimate/speculate what has happened, as its too wide a scope to know in depth.
Many scenarios.
1).Maybe someone with a number matching system or program must have matched your card number, esp date, ccv/cvn all matched.
2).Maybe someone might have successfully got your card number, somehow, and cloned a card.
3).Maybe someone has made an order for delivery, by phone or online order, for goods.
4).Maybe someone was able to put the data as SQ and the name of the vendor without their knowledge. There was a youtube video of a guy who was in Thailand, but while he was away, someone was transaction on his account, with various amounts, on a daily basis for uber eats in Sydney!
Heh, maybe its time we all went back to cash, as soon as we get paid, to withdraw every last $ and leave a few cents in the account!
Or move the money to a cash maximiser account, with no card access, and move money back when money needed to buy groceries.
Its like the linkt and its ilk scams, or the fake govt authorities scams.
Don't know what the best solution is tho.
Too hard!
===
If you have a look at google, "card not present" is still a thing in Aust, ie, still happens now.

 

[JohnK]

@AustraliaPoochie we created this mess thinking it makes our life convenient.

The HSBC consultant was reading out the payment methods for my credit card and they will all be reset. Afterpay, ZipMoney, ZipCo (which I think is the same) and a few I didn't understand. Square wasn't on the list but Google was on list.

I would have thought that in order to add credit card to some app you needed to have pin or card security code plus more than likely some SMS security code.

But you're right. Someone can order from the Cafe online and have it delivered to some generic address and never be identified.

Convenience does not mean peace of kind. It might for some but not for many like me as it can come with a cost. I've lost a few hours today trying to fix something that was not my doing.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Hope it all goes well JohnK.
Ideally, we are told cards were "supposed" to make our lives easier, ie, carry less cash, which is probably true, ie, our pockets last longer as we don't carry so much coins, and our wallets so bulky, but then, all these scams happen, not only like in your case, but also in my case, when I had to change numbers for direct debits, but to every other Aust around, plus scrupulous people all over the world.
Chip cards were supposed to be hard to scam, heh, can only laugh, thinking about it.
Re: in my case, with the list services, (like I said, don't know what that one is), it was a tap and pay.
So, its either the store that I used it was unscrupulous, or it was between the store and their bank, that there was a breach, or what ever.
I would love to support my local shops/stores, but with all these scam transaction breaches, it does not leave much confidence in using cards.
Coles still has a max $200 for tap and pay, without a pin, which means, us, we, as in customers have to be weary.
And its the 3rd tap in a day, one after the other, that the card would then require a pin to be put onto the merchant's EFTPOS reader.
I was a EFTPOS person (card transaction processor), in a past job, using Ingenico, this was before chip cards came in, and at that time, about 2000, card not present was always declined, in the place I worked, but it seems, that with selective merchants, card not present can work.

 

[JohnK]

@AustraliaPoochie all of that regarding a physical credit card was fine. Signature was fine too as it's hard to forge. ID wouldn't go astray either.

Then tap and pay. If you drop or forget your credit card someone can do a lot of damage in a few hours.

But then we had to use credit cards online without adequate security/authentication.

And then we took it one dumb step further loading credit cards into "wallets" and "apps" on a phone which made it all that much easier for people to use credit cards fraudulently.

Next they'll say the chip in your forearm or skull will make it even more convenient. Umm no. We know how that one will turn out already.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

These days tho, with tap and pay, no one wants to check signatures.
If you go to a hotel, after having done an online booking with the hotel's main booking website, or via a travel agent, the check in person is more interested in your physical photo id, and taking the deposit from you, which would be in the form of a hold on your card, and that would need a pin.
Some places like Ibis Budget, they don't take pre authorisation, but they will want photo id.
Its hard, in the end, I don't know how to stop card fraud, maybe become a hermit!
Go back to cash, no more travelling, no more hotel stays, the bare necessities, paid with cash.

 

[Forg]

JohnK the only thing to do is to change banks to something a bit robuster.

With 4 different cards being charged against, it’s not going to be the bank; he’s either super unlucky in random card-use attempts happening to target him 4x in a year, or someone’s copying card details somewhere he’s frequenting (which is possible electronically & was a thing in the kerklunk-kerklunk days too).
Didn’t I see regular visits to Thailand mentioned somewhere, for example?

 

[JohnK]

With 4 different cards being charged against, it’s not going to be the bank; he’s either super unlucky in random card-use attempts happening to target him 4x in a year, or someone’s copying card details somewhere he’s frequenting (which is possible electronically & was a thing in the kerklunk-kerklunk days too).
Didn’t I see regular visits to Thailand mentioned somewhere, for example?

I'd say 2 of the cards (28 Degrees and Virgin Visa) were more than likely Thailand but again you'd have to be super unlucky as the card hardly leaves my hands and if it does the card does not leave my sight.

The other 2 cards have not been used in Thailand. One was late July and the other early September and its 4+ months since we've come back from Thailand. These 2 cards are used quite a bit in Australia. Coles, Woolworths, petrol, Afterpay, Zip and some direct debit.

If I had to guess I'd say Afterpay or Zip are somehow involved but I don't know exactly how. Inside job?

 

[prozac]

I'd say 2 of the cards (28 Degrees and Virgin Visa) were more than likely Thailand but again you'd have to be super unlucky as the card hardly leaves my hands and if it does the card does not leave my sight.

The other 2 cards have not been used in Thailand. One was late July and the other early September and its 4+ months since we've come back from Thailand. These 2 cards are used quite a bit in Australia. Coles, Woolworths, petrol, Afterpay, Zip and some direct debit.

If I had to guess I'd say Afterpay or Zip are somehow involved but I don't know exactly how. Inside job?

Have you ever used these cards to buy seats on Vietnam Airlines or similar? Their system was hacked around 3-4yrs ago.

 

[Lillie Pillie]

Fresh scam to fleece:

"Hello my good friend.

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family?, You may not understand why this mail came to you. but if you do not remember me, you might have receive an email from me in the past regarding a mulch-million-dollar business proposal which we never concluded. I am using this opportunity to inform you that this mulch-million-dollar business has been concluded with the assistance of another partner who financed the transaction with a logical conclusion. I thank you for your great effort to our unfinished transfer of fund into your account due to one reason or the other best known to you.

But I want to inform you that I have successfully transferred the fund out of my bank to my new partner's account who was capable of assisting me in this great opportunity. Due to your effort, sincerity,courage and trust worthy you showed during the course of the transaction. I want to compensate you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of $1,300,000.00. I have left a certified International Cashier's BANK DRAFT for you worth of $1,300,000.00 cash able in any bank in the world.

My dear, I will like you to contact my Pastor, Rev. Pastor Godwin in his direct email address at: [email protected] for the collection of your certified International Cashier BANK DRAFT. I authorized him to release the BANK DRAFT to you whenever you contact him regarding to the draft. At the moment,I'm very busy here because of the investment projects, which I and my new partner are having at hands.

Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is from the bottom of my whole heart, also comply with Rev. Pastor Godwin directives so that he will send the BANK DRAFT to you without any delay.

Contact: Rev. Pastor Godwin Benjamin.
Cotonou Benin Republic West Africa
Email address: [email protected]
Telephone: +229 682 707 65.

Therefore you should send him your full Name and telephone number/your correct mailing address where you want him to send the Bank Draft to avoid wrong delivery and to ensure that you receive the bank draft and cash it in any bank of your choice without delay.

Hoping to hear from you ASAP.

Best Regards,

Barrister David Johnson."

The thing that gets me the most is how they prey on your compassionate side. Because all these tactics are actually a representation of real life situations, where people truly are in great need. Arrgh

 

[drron]

My email systems are proving quite reliable. In the last 2 weeks the only emails in my spam folders have been genuine emails that would normally go straight to my inbox.

 

[Ade]

 

[JohnK]

Have you ever used these cards to buy seats on Vietnam Airlines or similar? Their system was hacked around 3-4yrs ago.

No. Possibly Air Asia, Nok Air, Thai Smile.

They should not be storing credit card details. These businesses are never going to learn. I really don't want you to prefill my credit card details, I'll key them in again. And again.

 

[tdimdad]

I passed Nambucca Heads in 1997. I've been in Brisbane the past 3 months apart from same day return to SYD last month.

Someone is somehow getting my credit card details. This is getting very scary.

Did you spend $150 on a meal / pub visit somewhere in Australia around that date?

Many companies, especially in hospitality, are registered on a company name & location other than the trading name on the streetside sign. An imaginary example, you go to a place called 'Bondi Treats' in Sydney but get charged by 'Amazing Hospitality Mackay'. Sometimes it takes plenty of mental gymnastics for me to work out if a charge is legit.

One that stumped me a few weeks ago was a burger place in my suburb: I have visited it once, three years ago. Only after scrolling through the Google Pay history, I spotted a similar amount and date for a farmers market stall I visited. Looks like the market stall had gotten to use the burger joint's eftpos terminal for some weird reason.

 

[JohnK]

Did you spend $150 on a meal / pub visit somewhere in Australia around that date?

No. The amount has me stumped. It was the first thing I thought about whether it was a charge from somewhere else.

I'll get my money back but I was thinking does the merchant miss out or is this something the credit card providers cop on the chin? You'd think they'd get serious about tightening up including tap and pay.

 

[Forg]

No. The amount has me stumped. It was the first thing I thought about whether it was a charge from somewhere else.

I'll get my money back but I was thinking does the merchant miss out or is this something the credit card providers cop on the chin? You'd think they'd get serious about tightening up including tap and pay.

If it’s a real merchant & the charge is incorrect, they miss out.
If it’s a scam their account will’ve disappeared by now & the card company cops it.