Careful using credit card at restaurants
 

Of course I can't be sure, so this is just a maybe. I haven't used my credit card for a while. Went to tapas for lunch on Sat and on Sunday morning somebody used it to charge $300 worth of stuff on Walmart.com. My cc company rejected it and called us right away. I'm pretty consistent in how I use it, so the Walmart.com purchase was flagged.

KeepingItReal,

That is an awesome security tip !!!!

Thank you for sharing!

Twice when our two different Visa and Mastercard companies called to tell us somebody tried to use our card in Europe and the Middle East, they assured us that the thieves are usually online, just running batches of random card numbers to see if they stick when ordering. They explained all the systemic alarms that go off and immediately set into motion their detective departments, and that online fraudulent card users are easiest to track down because they can go right to the computer used via the internet service provider number.

good info. Too often on this forum, people blame a business for the security breach and do damage to an innocent firm and its employees. From all I have read on the subject most of these crimes are committed by remote criminals with sophisticated computers. Remember the fiasco with the accusations against the Chinese Restaurant in Colony.

Please don't make unsupportable accusations that can ruin a business.

I agree!

Good idea...

About 10 years ago, I had a very large charge (unquestioned by the bank) in Australia on a credit card which I had not used for over 3 years - it was a card that I used only for my consulting practice, so I knew exactly what I had and had not charged.

I called the bank and told them that it was not my charge. The bank employee got all snippy about how it must have been my fault and that they had probably gotten the charge info from a statement which I had thrown away. The problem with that argument was that I was working in a secure environment where everything was shredded and then burned (which is why I threw away things like bank statements at work).

I suggested that the problem was likely at their bank and canceled my accounts with them. To this day, I refuse to do business with them. Remember, banks can be just as stupid as any merchants. And they are a much more attractive target than some small restaurant. Do you really think they would tell you if they were hacked?

Unsupported? Sorry I don't believe in coincidences like that. But I did say maybe. People can decide. I just wrote what happened.

What did the restaurant have to say?

:BigApplause:

One of the best things you can do is put a transaction alert on your card. You choose an amount (I chose $100), and you get an email right away about any charge of that amount or over. Last week I got a transaction alert for a charge of $1968.00. I immediately called Capital One, and they contacted the store with me on the line. The store removed the charge. Fraud department will investigate and I will press charges if they can find out who made the charge.

This charge was made online by someone in Miami. It's just not fair to start blaming the last place you were with your card.

Good idea. Never though of that.

From what we were told by our Visa and Mastercard companies (Citibank and Chase) in the experience I posted earlier, your card number being used was more likely "flagged" because of the far-away or international location of the internet service provider number of the computer being used.

Last year my Mother got a call from Bank of America. I think it was the Fraud Department that called. They said that Mom notified them that she lost her card and wanted the new card sent to Texas -- we live in Michigan. BoA was alerted as the caller wanted a deaf alert on the card. Although Mom was 89 at the time, she didn't have a deaf alert on the card! BoA was calling to verify that she was the one asking for the new card. Obviously, she wasn't the one that made the call.

This was a card that was never activated and tucked away in a drawer in our office!! BoA thought it was an inside job as they knew her age and thought they might know other information about her! They recommended that she change all of her passwords and get new cards.

We also got Lifelock!

How was the meal at Tapas?

Still waiting for what they had to say.

Cash is king and we never use our credit card at a restaurant. That said, we do use a credit card for gasoline and hotels only. Bank of America Fraud division also called us a few weeks ago (we're up north now) as someone tried to use our number to buy $425 worth of booze in Ft Lauderdale. At first, I thought it may be someone trying to sell us something but after a few questions and repeating those questions, she seemed to be who she said she was. The reason she called was that the particular purchase in Ft. Lauderdale did not seem like what we would purchase with our credit card. Thankfully, she disabled our credit card and sent us new ones. So glad they are on their toes.

I didn't trust the caller when they first called us either. So I asked for their phone number and they gave me a claim number. I then called our local Bank of America and confirmed the number was from their Fraud Department. They confirmed the phone number and we then called the Fraud Department.

We, too, were glad they were on their toes. I am saying "we" as my mother gave me the phone to talk with the bank.

You already know the answer I think.

I started buying Gift cards for myself to use so I don't have to carry a lot of cash around and I don't have to use my credit/debit card. You can buy gift cards for virtually every restaurant, department store or movie theatre today.

We got a new BOA credit card because of the "breach" a few years ago at Sweetbay. We had one other credit card issue about 15 years ago when someone charge about 400.00 worth of stuff in North Carolina on our card. We never figured out how this happen.

We have never lost a dime as BOA took the loss. I always wonder if the Credit Card Companies go after these people or just write it off. My guess is the latter.

Credit card thief is a huge nationwide problem. Maybe "they" will come up with an answer someday. Identity theft, however, is a bigger issue. It can cause you real time and money.

Love this idea!!!! Buying gift cards. Thanks!!!