[Dailydrool] A warning

Sat May 28 23:50:54 PDT 2011

Oh Alicia I know exactly what you are going through.  I went through the same thing about 4 years ago only my card was not reported stolen or missing.    You may not be aware of this but the scammers (using a nice word for them) have access to sites that do nothing but generate credit card numbers.  Once the get a good number they can also get the security code and who the card belongs to.  All credit card companies have a few variances but they are recognized by the first 4 numbers.   Once the thieves have your name it is not difficult to find out your personal information.   Of course some bank regulations are so lax that the person calling can tell them "I don't remember all the security questions." or they are so upset they can't remember.  In that event the bank will just ask for social security number, telephone and address.  If the card is in your name you can count on the scammer having a female working with them or they can fake a female voice, claim they have a cold or it can even be a female.  

I am a little surprised that the bank did not send you a letter, email or do a follow up call to confirm you had reported your card stolen but I will bet that the new card was to be sent to a new address.  What usually happens is the $%$#& thieves will send a "ping" to be charged to your card.  Usually it is just a very small amount of a couple of dollars and cheap music downloads seem to be there favorite.  Once the thief knows that you have an active account the charging begins.  Some will even call the automated system to find out how much of a credit line you have but most just start charging.  

I want you to know that even though you are the victim, you are the one that will be doing the research and leg work.  If you haven't filed a police report that is a must that needs done ASAP.  Above all don't trust the credit card company to really investigate and though the police take the complaint there is usually very little they can do.   When you file the official forms with the credit card company you are going to need that document to dispute the charges.  You also need to put a statement on all 3 of the major credit reporting bureaus plus send them a copy of the police report.  Remember to update the statement every 6 months to a year.  Keep a log of everyone you talk to, copies of all letters sent and received.  Keep the envelopes of any correspondence sent to you so you can prove the date it was postmarked.  Send any correspondence "return receipt requested".  If there any actual charges you need printed copies of the billing,  the place of business with address and phone number.  You also need to mail them a letter with a copy of the police report.  You will need to speak to either the senior manager or the owner.  If the person went into a store and charged then ask if they could describe the person.  Also don't be surprised if the business calls you and demands payment for any charges the CC company does not authorize.  Believe me, they do that and I had one go so far as threaten to press charges against me for theft and fraud.  My Taurus, redheaded, Irish temper boiled over that day.  I went beyond "Marlene". 

With both my bank and credit card companies I have set up email alerts for purchases over $5 in my checking account and $25 with my credit cards as well as any changes in the amount to my automatic scheduled payments or if one is added.   I know the amount of alerts you receive can become overwhelming but these days it is just one more way to protect yourself.    You are going to have to be proactive with the CC company.  The statute of limitations is 2 yrs and if the CC company can drag it out you can end up being responsible for all the charges plus the interest that has accumulated even though the charges were put on hold.   I don't want to sound politically incorrect but if you are dealing with a large bank or a CC company you need to demand to talk to supervisor in the U.S. that has a command of the English language.  Better yet just go to the branch office, speak to the branch manager and go prepared with all your documentation.  

I will never forget the Saturday morning when Chase called me at 7:30 am.  They called to ask if I charged over $500 at a sports shop in Great Britain???   I told them that it was 7:30 in the morning in California and I was in bed sleeping after working a 16 hr. shift at the hospital.  There response was I needed to "prove" what I was saying.  I had to provide them with numbers for my immediate supervisor, the Director of Nursing and at least one co-worker I had worked with from each shift.  Then they told me that they had to "verify" my work schedule and any breaks I had.  I felt like I was on trial and told them that.   I jumped on the computer to see if there were any other charges and there were over big $$$$$ charged to my account even though I had the alerts set up the CC company paid them without notifying me because the "system had been down".    Two days later the charges for the sports store showed up.  I was told that they were responsible to pay the merchant because I had not sent in my dispute form and the verification need, which hadn't even come in the mail yet.  

After all my research I found out that a Middle Easterner "Ahmed Jabal" had booked a 1st class flight from N.Y.C to Atlanta Georgia for Wednesday, stayed  2 nights  in a luxury suite at the Four Seasons ( with really expensive room service and a lot of long distance international phone calls then flew to Great Britain, spent 3 nights in another ritzy suite and then took a 1st class airplane on an Middle East airline.  Delta was fabulous and they even had him on the security camera and sent me his picture.  American airlines was also great.  They told me he booked the flights on line, had the security code number but listed the name on his card as his own. (Did the same with the hotels but showed a card with his name (fake card)  He checked in at the Kiosk so he never had to show the card of prove he was authorized to use it.  To rub salt in my wounds, he took private limo's to and from the airports and hotels.  I have never ridden in a Limo.  The Middle East airline would tell me nothing except "You should not have authorized him to get a second card in his name." and it was my fault.  The monster woman said  "We have already received the payment and you will never get it back."  

The reason for my suggestions is because I learned the hard way.   Chase played out the charges for over 2 years and tried to make me pay for them even though I had all the correspondence that I had sent to them and jumped through all their hoops.   They used every excuse they could dream up to keep extending the time.  When they told me the statute of limitations had passed and I was now responsible for the charges and all the accrued interest. (Which of course my interest rate jumped from 8% to 18.9%.   I paid off what I owed and told them " Take me to court".
I refuse to pay for charges that they authorized without my consent, be treated like a liar or be made out to be the criminal.  All of this started with a $1.99 Apple I-Tunes "ping".

I hope that they find the (curse, curse, and curse some more) scammers that did this to you.  You are in my prayers because I know this can be an excruciating journey.  The gang is slinging tubs of "catch those B's that did this too you.  When they do let me know and we can demand they attend a justice party.

Droolz,
Karen and The Dog House Gang with our foster basset,  Fabulous Freddie and the seriously driving me batty, Cooper.

P.S.  I know this email is really long but I just wanted you to know what my experience taught me so you hopefully don't have to go through what I did.

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