[villages07]

On Wednesday, 6/27, we dined at Bravos for the first time in a long while. Mr 07 paid the bill with his credit card. This card hadn't otherwise been used recently and not at a restaurant in a couple of weeks.

Credit card company called today and over $700 of fraudulent charges were made in Tennessee on the 28th... Gas, Walmart, Kmart, etc.

We have no proof that the Bravo staff compromised the card, but, it is certainly suspicious. Anybody else have a similar recent experience with Bravos?

The food and service were good but this certainly left a sour taste. Mr 07 called Bravos and spoke with a manager to inform him of the issue. Of course, he was defensive but at least alerted.

[BarryRX]

Originally Posted by villages07

On Wednesday, 6/27, we dined at Bravos for the first time in a long while. Mr 07 paid the bill with his credit card. This card hadn't otherwise been used recently and not at a restaurant in a couple of weeks.

Credit card company called today and over $700 of fraudulent charges were made in Tennessee on the 28th... Gas, Walmart, Kmart, etc.

We have no proof that the Bravo staff compromised the card, but, it is certainly suspicious. Anybody else have a similar recent experience with Bravos?

The food and service were good but this certainly left a sour taste. Mr 07 called Bravos and spoke with a manager to inform him of the issue. Of course, he was defensive but at least alerted.

I've eaten there many times without any problems at all. Sorry to hear about your problem but glad that the credit card company caught it right away. The timing of the incident is suspicious, but certainly not conclusive.

[tag460]

When the UPS dropped off my new credit card this week because our account was compromised he said he delivered around 250 new cards here in TV. That's just his route, he he said that there were over a thousand new ones delivered here in TV, Check your statements!!!!

[LittleDog]

That's one of the reasons that when I dine out I pay by cash.

John

[raynan]

2 of my neighbors just got their Mastercards replaced after a fraud alert. After comparing notes on where they may have both used their cards, they thought it was from ordering airline tickets online.

[Redrok]

I had a similar incident in Louisville where my credit card info was used. I suspected the server. But I received a call from a Louisville Police Detective who had traced the fraudulent charges. The credit card info was taken from my doctor's office by one of the staff (along with many others). I track all my charges on-line now daily to make sure there are no suspicious activities.

[njbchbum]

when i first ventured onto the internet a wise person suggested that users obtain a secured credit card for use in signing up for internet service. i found a company that offered me $250 credit for a $50 deposit with a bank in south dakota. checked out the bank to make sure it WAS a bank and made my deposit. now, that was YEARS ago but i am still using that card today! have no store credit cards and just use my secured card - especially for my on-line shopping. the credit card agreement comes with all of today's usual protections - BUT - purchases that would put the total beyond that $250 limit would be declined rather than processed and a penalty assessed for the overage. it really works for me 'cause i don't have to worry if it is taken away by a server in a restaurant. with such a small charging limit it can pretty much remember every place i use it each month!

[carm310]

You should also be able to sign up with your current credit and bank accounts online to send you email notices with certain types of transactions and pretty much any amount of transaction limits to receive alerts on. I do this with my credit card and bank accounts. I also check our accounts daily as we have been victims of this type of fraud in the past. It is not much fun trying to clean up after something like this. Even the smallest breach takes at least a month to straighten out.

[asianthree]

[Gerald]

I have found that using a credit card is like throwing dice. sooner or later some one steals the numbers and uses it. I switched to a debit card and check it every day. Placed a limit on purchases so that I will need to call up bank for approval for over that amount. IT has so far worked for me.

[casita37]

After reading another thread on this topic, a couple of weeks ago, I followed a poster's advice and signed up for notifications if my card # is used when the card is not actually swiped at the pos.

Whenever possible, I use my PayPal account to pay on line. I can still use the credit card, but it goes through PP, and I don't have to provide my CC #.

I have heard that debit cards are more vulnerable than credit cards. Anyone know of that is true? I really like the idea of the secured credit card with a small limit for regular on line shopping, too.

Finally...I received an offer through my AAA membership for a company called LifeLock, for identity theft protection. I may look into doing that, either through that company, or one of the others. Anyone have a company they recommend?

[jojo]

Master Card called recently to alert me to fraudulent activity on my card. They indicated that I probably was a victim of a computer random number generator. They closed the account, credited the fraudulent charges, and overnighted a new card.

[NotGolfer]

Have heard that some of the crooks have software that scans numbers that they run. When they hit "paydirt" they start charging! We had this happen about 2 1/2 or 3 years ago...first a small amount then the next day or so, more $$$. Fortunately for us, "someone" who lives at our house checks the internet daily (checking accounts and charge cards) to make sure there isn't hanky/panky and it was caught quickly.

Not sure if folks at Bravo's is at fault, but maybe you could speak with the manager there. Just saying!!

[natickdan]

I had a similar experience last year after booking travel from TV to Orlando airport. Within 24 hours of using my credit card, there were a number of fraudulent charges on my credit card. I shared my concern with the owner of the transportation company and, of course, they denied any responsibility.

My lesson learned is that scams exist everywhere and, yes, even in TV. If you are going to charge something, you may want to do so with your credit card rather than a debit card and be diligent about checking your statements.

[carm310]

Finally...I received an offer through my AAA membership for a company called LifeLock, for identity theft protection. I may look into doing that, either through that company, or one of the others. Anyone have a company they recommend?[/QUOTE]

We signed up for LifeLock at the end of last year after someone got into our cell phone account - they added & shipped new phones to another state, changed our primary language to Spanish and changed what we would have been paying each month. (Our last name is Hispanic) I became suspicious after receiving an email in Spanish from Verizon but didn't call until we received additional materials in the mail with the order info. They were able to intercept the shipment as fraud and the bad guys never got their phones (at least not from us!)

Prior to this over a three year period we had two fraud activities against our debit cards at one bank and then someone accessed our checking account number at a bank we switched to thinking they were larger and would have more security. For what we had to go through to fix the last one I would have given the thief the $35 they stole from us.

Anyway, LifeLock seems to work, they quickly recognize any activity we have on our accounts and email as well as call alerts to you. You then go into your account and tell them whether it was you or not. I hate that it is an added expense but there is an added level of security. Someone I work with had their entire identity stolen a few years ago and he is still trying to fix it - lawyers are involved as well as all his finances.

I am still diligent to check our accounts nearly everyday. The best you can do is take the 5 minutes or so each day to recognize and at least stop things in their tracks should they happen.