Fraudulent Credit Card Charge?

[swm59nj]

    I already contacted my bank in the USA. But I thought would ask the question to maybe get some feedback about the issue. Could be something Im not aware of. Because my bank has the charge on hold for seven days. If they cancel the charge they have to mail me a new credit card here in Bangkok. I live in Bangkok but I still use the card from my USA bank.

    A few days ago I ordered  replacement filters from the Hatari website. I placed the order with my credit card from my bank in the USA. The order was processed no problem. The next day I get a fraud alert from my bank. It was an order for 0.03 USD from a place called TFB Merchant Service Division. It was posted ten minutes before the actual charge from Hatari got posted.

   I initially thought my card was being tested before the actual transaction went through. Hatari uses K-Bank. I know a long time ago K-Bank was called Thai Farmers Bank. 

   I called Hatari. They say they don't know what TFB is. But they confirmed my order. When I contacted my bank, I was told the TFB Merchant Services charge shows as Variety Store. When I google Variety Store, it comes up with a Facebook page selling products in Thailand.

   It just baffles me. Could be a coincidence that I got a fraudulent charge a few minutes before the Hatari charge went through. But it just seems odd the charges are ten minutes apart. And this is the first time I ordered anything online since living in Bangkok.

   I do know that when my credit was charged the 0.03 USD it was being tested to see if it was good. But why by this TFB Merchant Service is the question.

   

[cnx355]

Probably you are correct as 0.03 USD is about 1 THB.

 

Possible that your card was tested  by the TFB Merchand service just before your purchase 

was processed. 

 

You are correct that K-Bank was TFB before.

 

Maybe after a while the 0,03 USD will be gone when you receive you statement.

 

Just go online every 2-3 days and check your credit card to be sure no fraud will appear in the next month. 

 

Take care

 

[DFPhuket]

That seems to happen to me frequently when I make a charge here on my US card. A test charge often happens just a few minutes before the "real" charge. It has always disappeared. With it being such a small amount, I'd tell the bank it isn't a fraud and watch the account closely over the next days to see if it disappears (or if the card has been compromised, see if other charges appear). If your bank website provides SMS or email alerts of new charges, I'd also turn that on.

 

If you tell the bank the charge was questionable they will cancel your card and then send a new one to your home address. It could take a long time for that new card to get to you in Thailand. 

[jimn]

All I can say is that in the UK the merchants do something similar. Normally its a nominal charge and its done prior to the full transaction. Whilst the nominal charge is active, it will show as "pending" on your account. When the correct charge is applied the pending charge will disappear.

[timendres]

As mentioned above, monitor the card every day, morning and night, for a week or two. If it was a "test" charge, there is no reason to invalidate your CC. If there are fraudulent purchases, you are protected, and those charges will be removed. Then you can justify the hassle of invalidating the CC.

[ukrules]

5 hours ago, jimn said:

All I can say is that in the UK the merchants do something similar. Normally its a nominal charge and its done prior to the full transaction. Whilst the nominal charge is active, it will show as "pending" on your account. When the correct charge is applied the pending charge will disappear.

Yes, it sounds like a 'pre auth' which is probably being done to validate that the card is real and active.

[Bubbha]

If your bank/card allows - lock your card online and only unlock for actual purchases.

The credit cards I use in the US allow for this.

And also allow for the cards to remain locked while processing recurring monthly charges (e.g. Netflix)

[wondererer]

Little update here, hope this helps anyone wondering the same thing.

My foreign bank closed my debit card immediately without even asking about this transaction. The transaction was with name:

 

TFB.MERCHANTS SERVICE

 

The amount was 1.00 THB (0,03 €).

 

I asked the bank why they closed my card, and they said that "based on collected data this merchant is fraudulent" and thus they closed my card instantly.

 

I hadn't even used this card a lot online, because just 6 months ago my last card was cancelled. So I tried not to use the new card to avoid all the hassle to get a new card here (and paying the courier fees). So I am guessing that maybe the card info was copied at some shop/atm or something. Just guessing, could also be some online service that has been breached.