Beware of credit card skimmers in The Villages
 

At gas stations I always look to see if the state inspection tape on the outside of the pump is intact or broken. I also pull on where you insert your card.

There was a news article about a new Blue Tooth (wireless) skimmer. The crook uses a key to open the pump, install the skimmer, and then only needs to be near by to get the data..........
Years ago, I always used cash to buy gas. Then I started using credit cards for the convenience as this avoided 2 trips to the counter.
What I have done is setup my credit card account with email notification of ANY charges over $25 and ANY Internet charges. I typically get the notification in 15 minutes or less, and have been able to block 2 suspicious charges immediately.
I may look into text message to my phone for even quicker notification.
Hope this helps.

They also have those gadgets where they can skim your cards when they walk by you. I bought a RFID wallet to protect my cards when they are inside my purse. Hope it helps!

While right to give warning, this is causing undue alarm. When our credit cards have been used fraudulently a few times, the credit card company calls and tells us they DECLINED a purchase for that amount, and the amounts were for internet purchases, not brick and mortar stores/retailers.

Also, the credit card companies have told us that particular businesses where you used your card are not the likely culprits, as most are internet fraudsters who simply run numbers till they hit one that sticks when making a trial, small purchase online. The card companies' fraud detection units can find the culprits by going directly to the IP number of the computer used online.

Mention of Apple online for electronic purchase also adds in complexity most people don't understand and don't need to worry about getting or not getting. The credit card companies themselves have spent billions on fraud detection, and this is also why many are going to the embedded chip card encrypted credit cards most businesses are getting the card readers for.

In the end, the best way to go with a mastercard or visa debit card is to run it "as credit" thru the system, and not with debit pin number, because master card and visa protection covers any fraudulent charges that might get approved.

At a gas pump I use either bank credit card or AMEX credit card, or better yet, a Marathon or Shell gas credit card.

I will have to look into the text notifications. Great idea!

I have all cards on a 100.00 alert with text notifications. The speed is amazing, I have received the alert within seconds of the card being entered. I have both my wife's phone and mine receiving the texts. As apple pay and PayPal becomes more available I will be paying with those apps.

I use one card for auto pays. And American Express for purchasing. AE fixes a problem and overnight new card. I never leave home without it:a040:

Not long ago, a poster berated a server and accused them of being a thief after their credit card was compromised. It could have been the nice little old lady sitting in a booth with a portable skimmer just as easily.

We buy gas cards when on sake at Publix ($50 for $40). Marathon at Pinellas gives cash price when using these cards. Safe and convenient.

Feds want to go wireless and trash paper money. They can't even run business collection department (IRS) and we are still in the 20th century with automated electronic transactions. Amazes me we can put man on the moon, but catch even protect credit cards let along catch crooks or block overseas credit card hackers. IMO cash is STILL King. Untraceable, untouchable, and un-reportable to no-one but the receiver.

Both Shell stations on 466 and the one at 301 and 44 have new pumps with a sign stating that they are credit card protected.

Beware of credit card skimmers in The Villages
 

The Shell on 466A has a sign saying credit cards are unprotected, and skimmers may be in use. (Somewhat joking, but I've cards compromised after fueling up there.)

We do this with both our Visa and Amex cards. If you're signed up to view your account online, you can set up an alert for any amount at all. I choose to receive an alert any time the card is used, no matter the amount. Sometimes scammers will charge a small amount to see if it will go through.

I once caught a $2000 fraudulent charge posted to "pending charges" and was able to have the fraud department call the store it came from and cancel the charge without having to cancel our card, as we were going out of town and needed the card. (Of course I kept a careful eye on the card charges.)

Well done CF. I also have our cards set up the same way.

Despite getting an email of an event and responding within 2 hours, I had to demand correction 4 times over a 7 day period.

Avoid "the real pain"....never set up automatic payments....they are in control, not you!!

I had thought about this before, but your post has me thinking about things again. Thanks for the post.

Be aware not all alerts work the same
 

Bank of America sends an alert when it posts not when it is pending the time difference can be days. I spent 6 hours going through various levels of supervisors and departments and finally got someone who had them fix the glitch in their code. 6 months later they did an update to their system and it is back sending alerts on posted instead of pending again. So I don't use them anymore for around town only for my preauthorized charges I have set up. I use another card for around town and when I travel and have had the number changed by the card company due to fraud charges 7 times in the last year. It is getting ridiculous.

About 15 years I receive my credit card statement and there is an $18k charge. Someone bought a new car, in Mexico. It takes some muy grande cojones to pull a stunt like that.

Its smart to always check your credit card activity on a daily basis-

But by paying cash for everything you are literally throwing away a lot of $$

Sam's Club MasterCard--5% cash back for gas,3% cash back for dining & travel 1% back for everything else

CHSE FREEDOM VISA-depends on which quarter is affected 5% back gas,5% dining, 5% groceries 1% back for everything else

Bank America-2% groceries

Capital One -minimum of 1.5% back on everything else

Pay all your bills with these cards and use them smartly-do not run a balance and you'll have at least an extra $1000-$2000 a year

Its also happened to me in the villages.Now I pay every thing with cash.

More pluses for using credit cards-lots of credit card companies also insure / warranty your
purchases

IMHO-the only people who must use cash are drug dealers/purchasers--people who can't legally own firearms/ and finally illegal aliens who work for cash

If the U.S. did away with cash--you'll witness a drastic decline in crime

I know several upstanding Villagers who use cash for almost all purchases. They don't belong to any of the categories you noted. IMHO if the U.S. did away with cash you'd see a black market form almost immediately, and gold and silver would reign supreme.

I never have auto payments, but have bills sent on line so I can review and pay. I get very little post mail

Capital One sends the alert when it enters into pending. There's also a function online where you can watch the pending charge, and they will notify you when it posts. I see some mistaken charges appear in pending that are corrected by the merchant and never make it to posting. That was how I found out about the $2K charge and was able to have it reversed by the merchant before it even posted, and we didn't have to shut the card down just before our trip.

I have my alert from my credit card bank set for any purchase made over $.50
Some who use your card on the internet start with small purchases....sometimes as little as a dollar. Had three tries...one for a dollar, another for a little more and then the third paying an AT&T phone bill...all one right after the other on one day. Alerts are sent almost instantly about purchases. Sending notices for small purchase amounts does generate a lot of mail, but action can be taken quickly.

It's so sad that there are some with such knowledge and they use their powers for bad.

If your credit card company let that go through without contacting you, you need a new credit card company.

I have found that if i have a problem with my card, they send me a new one, same #, but a different security # on the back side.:)

You are not the first to report a problem from that Shell station. Maybe contacting the police would be helpful for all since you have some facts to provide.

That shell station is a total rip off on their gas prices 50 cents a gal more than Sam's club for premium & thats their cash price-- and when I use my credit card that gives me an additional 5% off my cost for premium comes down to $1.93

70 cents a gal up charge above your competition is way too much

Go to gas buddy & check your prices.

That's exactly why I have ours set to alert to any charges. That and the fact that it lets me know when hubs is leaving Winn-Dixie and headed home...:evil6:

Too cruel, CF. So you knew he had roses for you on Sunday?

My wife and I share a shopping app that lets her know what I have purchased from the "elist" she created. I seldom stray from it as a result.

I know when he's coming out of the liquor store and going into the grocery store. All while sitting on my backside...er, cleaning the house. Yeah, cleaning the house, that's the ticket.:laugh:

Geez
 

What's next? Having him wear a GPS ankle bracelet?

Beware of credit card skimmers in The Villages
 

Yeah. But you don't know what kind of wine he bought until he gets home, do you?

::jester::

!
No (sob):cryin2:

Sorry. Didn't mean to raise any bad memories. [emoji33]

I've had a credit card and a debit card hacked...common place used ~ Publix! Neither one was used at a gas station. Debit card was only used at Publix!

good to use even when you're not drinking! :a040: