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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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". </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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." </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>Droolz,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>Karen and The Dog House Gang with our foster
basset, Fabulous Freddie and the seriously driving me batty,
Cooper.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Balloon>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.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></FONT>
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