Exactly!!! I can't tell you how many times this happens. I used to work at a credit union and every single day, someone came in with an identity theft problem. Were some of them lying? I think so. But the majority were not, in my opinion and research. This is far more widespread than people realize. We do not have a debit card. We used to have an ATM card, but our credit union changed it so that it was debit only, so we canceled it. We handle everything with checks and credit cards. But, I worry about the day when this will not be enough.

So sorry about your trouble. You really have to keep an eye out. Glad you did!

We got dinged a few weeks ago for $900!
The stupidheads probably would've gotten away with it for a bit longer but they overdrafted us, it was a google check out purchase for cell phone(s).

It got sorted out about a week later, but it was still effin annoying, hubs had to get a new card & we had to borrow money from his parents since the bank wouldn't reverse it until they 'investigated'.

EEEKKK! This is really cruddy. What a mess. Maybe I shouldn't buy anything over the internet! Grrr... Will that help?PJ

PJ, It can happen online and off line. It happened to my sister once with her credit card at a shoe store the lady that worked there took her credit card number and used it for purchases on the phone and rented a hotel for a week or better.
The lady was arrested but it was an awful headache not to mention the stress.

OMG, NIT that would have put our account into a tail spin for sure. Glad it is getting worked out.

This company that did it to us is an advertising company.

I'm getting weird 800 number calls asking if I had signed up for something that I have not signed up for.
Hope this isn't a scam and I find a big charge on my cell phone, I also get 800 calls with no one on the another end but I get a beeping sound. Anyone have that happen?

Remember our grandparents saying they wish it was like it was in the old days, Now I know just how they feel :(

I miss the peace we use to have. No problems or if you had one it was looked into and solved right away.

I'm fighting our insurance to pay the doctor for the past two years. It's to long to go into but I've been fighting them for a year and a half. Maybe I need your prayers to end this mess?

I hear you!! Yeah, they can steal a check number too and use it. It's less common tho. I get wierd 800 numbers ALL DARN DAY LONG!!!! Yeah, I've picked up to demand they stop calling(5 others just take their place anyway)and have gotten wierd beeps and clicks.
I'd have been mighty tempted to kick the shoe lady's butt!! How stupid! How did she even think this might work? They can trace the numbers right back to the store! PJ

I will not have a debit card.

I will not have an ATM card.

I do have a credit card (just 1).

I am extremely careful where I use the credit card.

The most common place where your credit card numbers are stolen, is in restaurants, because you are not watching the wait person, while they have your card. If anyone accepts your card, and then leaves your presence, while having the card in their possession, you should report that to management, as there is a high probability of card number theft.

I never use a credit card in a restaurant, where the card is not presented at a cash register, by me. If the wait person takes the check payment, I always use cash.

You can't really prevent this problem, but you can certainly make it a lot harder for the thieves.

I observe careless people all the time.....receipts left dangling in gas stations, carbons left behind at businesses, etc.

Heck, I observe women leaving their purses in the shopping cart at grocery stores, every time I go in. That's one of the most likely ways of having a purse stolen. Also, employees at many types of retail businesses, are not provided with lockers for their purses, and stolen purses are a common problem in such locations.

Here in the office, even though some floors do not have public traffic, others do, and purses left unattended at desks are a common problem. Years ago, someone slipped into a company office where I worked, and stole the CEO's purse, because the receptionist was away from her desk, and the CEO's office was next in line, and no one was around. The purse was sitting in plain view.

These things happen all the time. Security is something you must always be thinking about, in this rather nasty world the human animal has created.

Technology has its pluses and minuses, and you gotta make an effort to keep the minuses from becoming Gotchas!

My husband has told me that if I ever purchase anything over the internet to make sure the screen goes to a https:// - a secure server - before entering any credit card information. I rarely shop the internet, but when I do it is only with reputable companies.

There was a thread under the Texas Gardening forum talking about this great place to buy irises and when I checked it out and got an order started, they were asking me to e-mail my credit card information! There was no way I was going to order from them - no matter how good those irises looked or how cheap they were. E-mailing credit card information is the worst thing anyone could do because it is not secure at all.

Rick - that is good advice. Thanks for sharing those tips.