[JD Dis]

I am so nervous now!! I was going to call when I get my new account to see if they can put some kind of safety measure in place for charges. For example, can I say, "OK, if $1,000 is charged in one day, I want to be notified."

Actually, there is a service like that out there and Chase will have the details if you'd be interested in signing up. I'm a marketing manager for the credit card portfolio of a bank here in the midwest and we offer a product called Identity Protection to our cardholders. Basically the way it works is the service will monitor your files at the three major credit bureaus and will notify you on a daily basis if an application for credit has been made in your name. It also has an insurance component to it that will pay for attorney fees should you have to fight to get your identity back. Some people like the assurance that they're being covered, others would rather "risk it" and feel safe with the 0% liability most banks have with their credit cards.

Speaking from the industry side of it, yes it should be very easy for Chase to rectify the situation for you in a timely manner. Not to guess too much, but it's quite possible your account was stolen in that data hack that happened in Arizona last month. I know our bank had hundreds of thousands of credit and debit card numbers compromised by that situation. The real bummer for a bank is it was in no way our fault whatsoever and we are all working extremely hard to ensure our cardholder's identities/accounts are safe, but we get all the bad press (see the cover of Newsweek last week). Oh well - that's life I guess.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

[jodilt]

Originally Posted by DisneyTeacher

I don't sign my cards but half the time no one looks. I am surprised by that, I thought everyone who scanned the card had to check the signature. A lot people hand my card back to me before the slip is even printed out.

I was told that you should always either sign your cards or write see I.D. on them. If they are unsigned and stolen, it is easy for the theif to sign your name and get away with alot of charges since their actual signature would match the one on the card. I write see TX. I.D. on mine and surprisingly enough, more places ask for I.D. than did when I just signed my name to them.

[_landry]

That's the most disappointing thing about this whole incident, is that Chase NEVER picked up on it. I have never charged this amount of money and it was all done in a day. There were about 5 different charges at Tower Records for over $1,000 each. IN ONE DAY!! Who makes those kind of charges except a theif!! Now doesn't that look suspicious?????? Why would they continue to let those go through???

I am happy with the customer service and that they never questioned me. Immediately I was told I would not be held accountable for the charges. That was a huge relief. But I still think a red flag should have gone up after two or three charges. That upsets me. Oh well, it's there loss.

[Disneyfever]

That is terrible! Over $10,000! Someone once got my credit/debit card # and made some online charges with them. They were delivered to an address in a city near where I live. I went to my bank as soon as I found out. I also called the online stores to let them know. I also called the post master to let him know the packages were bring delivered to that address. I also wrote to all three credit bureaus and had them put a fraud alert on my name. To do this, I had to send a letter to each credit bureau, along with a copy of my driver's license, social security card, and phone bill. They put a fraud alert on my name where if any company gets an application for credit for me, they are asked to call my home number to verify. This actually worked. When I applied for a cell phone for my son, the cell phone company saw the fraud alert on my name and called my home number to verify. I have not had any problems since then. We also did the same thing for my husband.
Another thing that is nice to keep an eye on your account is online banking. I can access my checking account 24 hours a day and see up-to-date charges.

[Pooh Fan]

Originally Posted by _landry

Oh no! I hope it will be as easily taken care of as the customer service agent said. I point blank asked her just to be clear, and she assured me that I would not be responsible for the charges. She also said that they will notify the credit agencies. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Can it be that simple???????? I hope so.

By the way, how did you find out who had stolen your account number? I have no clue!!!

I was never responsible for the charges and never got another bill regarding them; however they reported to the credit bureaus that the account was in dispute. Each time it is updated, they keep it as an unresolved dispute. I found out because we went tot he police and the police talked to the store manager. It turns out that the person who stole my card number was friends with one of the employees at the Rent to own store and they worked together to buy all of this stuff on my card number without having to produce my card. I hope yours gets resolved as easily as they say, but I would definitely check your credit report in a few months to make sure it is right.

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally Posted by jodilt

I was told that you should always either sign your cards or write see I.D. on them. If they are unsigned and stolen, it is easy for the theif to sign your name and get away with alot of charges since their actual signature would match the one on the card. I write see TX. I.D. on mine and surprisingly enough, more places ask for I.D. than did when I just signed my name to them.

Good advice!

[CathysCAT]

I was a victim of Identity Theft, too. Someone out West tried to use my bank debit visa card to advertise his car in some auto shopping site. Actually, the company that would have placed the ad called me to verify the information. Of course I had no idea what she was talking about. We straightened it out with my bank immediately. I registered with the credit bureaus that I was a victim of identity theft, and they monitor my activity for 3 months for anything suspicious. It's a scary world out there. You try to trust people, but you never know what could happen.

[JM0318]

When my DH was in the hospital for 9 months, we had our credit card number stolen... I still had the card but the number had been used in Virginia. It happened while I was staying in the visitor area for ICU patients.... I was afraid to leave the hospital.... they had 3 fatal stabbings and 2 fatal gun shots at the front door of the hospital during the week of Christmas. I contacted the credit card company(capital one) and told them these were not may charges and they would remove them one month and recharge them the next, was back in 2002/03 and it was never resolved, but it was only a couple hundred not 10,000.... I even requested the signature signed at the purchase and it was not mine... I sent them a copy of my DL and every thing.... they just would not remove it permintly... I had to fight every other month...

[mkstlowe]

Wow!. This is all so scary. You always think it won't happen to you.
Im glad to hear that you will not be responsible for the money charged. You should call Customer service back and ask them if you can keep some of the points for all the stress you just encounter in less then 20 min!.

Also I would contact all 3 credit reporting agencies and have your reports sent. Just review them. If they got you CC that easy what else did they get. Chase/Disney card will only really change their balance info I would think.

Also depending where you leave you can get from all 3 free reports once a year. Started in the West and will be avaialbe in the East by Sept/OCT!

[_landry]

Originally Posted by Pooh Fan

I was never responsible for the charges and never got another bill regarding them; however they reported to the credit bureaus that the account was in dispute. Each time it is updated, they keep it as an unresolved dispute. I found out because we went tot he police and the police talked to the store manager. It turns out that the person who stole my card number was friends with one of the employees at the Rent to own store and they worked together to buy all of this stuff on my card number without having to produce my card. I hope yours gets resolved as easily as they say, but I would definitely check your credit report in a few months to make sure it is right.

Did they actually catch and arrest this person? Do you know how he/she got your account #? Will it remain on your credit report as "in dispute?" I am going to have to check into how it's being reported on my credit report.

[_landry]

Originally Posted by JD Dis

Not to guess too much, but it's quite possible your account was stolen in that data hack that happened in Arizona last month.

This crossed my mind.

[Pooh Fan]

Originally Posted by _landry

Did they actually catch and arrest this person? Do you know how he/she got your account #? Will it remain on your credit report as "in dispute?" I am going to have to check into how it's being reported on my credit report.

Yes they did. The person worked for a store that I bought some things at. That store printed your accout number on the receipt. The clerk then wrote down my account number from my reciept after I left the store. A few days later, the person went to a rent to own store where his friend worked and bought all types of things for his apartment--big screen tv, surrount sound, dvd players, wacher and dryer, etc. using my CC # and name. The person who worked at the rent to own store eventually testified against her friend so that she would not get into trouble for helping him. I am not sure how to get the "in dispute" removed from my credit report. I have called the CC card company and they claim that it is not showing up that way on their end, and yet it is still there and each time my credit report is updated it is still there. The problem was with our DM card. I think Household Bank is the one that offers the GM card, but we no longer use that card. Hopefully Chase will do a much better job helping you with your Disney Visa. I trully wish you the best dealing with this.

[ilvminnie]

Originally Posted by E&B's Mom

My bank calls me almost every 2 months just to check that recent charges are mine. It seems to happen every time DD and I go shopping for the afternoon (which is usually several $20-$25 charges within a couple of hours). It can be suhc an annoyance sometimes, because the bank will leave messages for me at work and home several times before I even return from shopping, but I'm glad they make the effort.

That gets on my nerves big-time! I called them & had to raise the roof but they finally stopped doing it. It wasn't just that they called, but if a purchase triggered their "alert system" they'd cut my card off! I do, however, go to the website EVERY MORNING and look to see what's going on with the account. I work at a credit union & I see fraud stuff all the time. There's really no way to completely protect yourself against it unless you pay cash for absolutely everything, and even then you could still be a victim of identity theft. I also look at my bank accounts EVERY MORNING so I'll know if something is happening there that shouldn't be. It's just a matter of staying on top of your financial activity.

[MJD]

I only use a American Express credit card and have a Visa Debit. American Express is one of the best CC to deal with. One Christmas while shopping DW & I kind of went crazy buying things. By the time we got to the third store the cashier informed us that Amex wanted to talk with us. When I got on the phone they wanted to confirm we were using the card and to call when we got home. When we got home they explained that the spending was not typical of what we do. They were concerned and apoligized for the inconvience.

Thanks for the heads up!!

MJD

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally Posted by MJD

I only use a American Express credit card and have a Visa Debit. American Express is one of the best CC to deal with. One Christmas while shopping DW & I kind of went crazy buying things. By the time we got to the third store the cashier informed us that Amex wanted to talk with us. When I got on the phone they wanted to confirm we were using the card and to call when we got home. When we got home they explained that the spending was not typical of what we do. They were concerned and apoligized for the inconvience.

Our CC company did the same thing to us. We split up to do a little Christmas shopping and by the second or third store I was told the card was denied. I called and it turns out we were out of our spending pattern.