Safeguard your Credit/Debit Cards!

[khunjake]

After using my Wise visa debit card for numerous travel related expenses (AirAsia, Thai, Agoda, etc.), I was fraudulently debited over $800 from some India based grocery delivery service. I have filed the dispute case with Wise but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears with no reply, response or action since this occured a few days ago. It seems way to easy for anyone to use a number generator script to find out card info and start charging away. I have since placed a freeze/lock on every single credit/debit card that I have and will only unlock when I make a charge. However does make it tough when you have other monthly recurring charges though (Netflix, Expat Mail Box, YT, etc.) Anyways, be safe out there!

[TravelerEastWest]

Just use an American credit card and you are protected...

[KannikaP]

Can you not prove to Wise that you were in Thailand, never in India.

[Lemsta69]

17 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Just use an American credit card and you are protected...

 

They give them to unemployed non-Americans living in Thailand? Where do I sign up?

[The Fugitive]

Thanks for the information. Definitely shouldn't be happening. The lack of customer service from Wise is disturbing. It should be possible to speak to someone and have the issue resolved immediately. 

[The Fugitive]

25 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Just use an American credit card and you are protected...

Same with U.K. OK if you already took out your bank accounts and cards whilst in your home Country. I had similar happen with a credit card issued by a U.K. bank. Although I was queuing on their customer service telephone system for 40 minutes or so, the call was Freephone and the issue was instantly resolved, existing card cancelled, replacement ordered and credit for the fraudulent transaction placed upon my credit card account.  

[TravelerEastWest]

3 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Same with U.K. OK if you already took out your bank accounts and cards whilst in your home Country. I had similar happen with a credit card issued by a U.K. bank. Although I was queuing on their customer service telephone system for 40 minutes or so, the call was Freephone and the issue was instantly resolved, existing card cancelled, replacement ordered and credit for the fraudulent transaction placed upon my credit card account.  

 

Exactly.

[HighPriority]

Relax op.

i had similar earlier this year, they refunded within a few days of me notifying of a fraudulent transaction.

You are right that their communication could be better, they didn’t notify me that they’d refunded my acc.

They did cancel the card (which I’d frozen) and I applied and recieved a new card.

[TravelerEastWest]

19 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

They give them to unemployed non-Americans living in Thailand? Where do I sign up?

 

Yes - get a secured visa card example you deposit X amount of dollars in a locked account for about a year. They give you a Visa card and then give you back your deposit after you show a good payment history for around one year.

 

Not sure about the living in Thailand part you may need an American address...

[khunjake]

4 hours ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Just use an American credit card and you are protected...

I have credit cards as well since Wise limits per transaction to $2000. Wise is very useful when paying for things in currency other then USD since credit card companies ding you for 3% FX fee alongside a terrible exchange rate. 

[TravelerEastWest]

Just now, khunjake said:

I have credit cards as well since Wise limits per transaction to $2000. Wise is very useful when paying for things in currency other then USD since credit card companies ding you for 3% FX fee alongside a terrible exchange rate. 

 

Yes, some credit cards give you a 3% fee not sure how often you get a bad rate.

 

I get a 3% fee but I also get a cashback reward so almost evens out... and I get the safety of the credit card.

[khunjake]

4 hours ago, HighPriority said:

Relax op.

i had similar earlier this year, they refunded within a few days of me notifying of a fraudulent transaction.

You are right that their communication could be better, they didn’t notify me that they’d refunded my acc.

They did cancel the card (which I’d frozen) and I applied and recieved a new card.

Cheers for that. Whoever has my debit card derails continues to make 

charges to my account for the last two days as well! All have been declined since I froze the card though. Nothing from Wise even after the dispute was filed and a separate email was sent. I can’t seem to find a contact number for them as well. 

[HighPriority]

3 hours ago, khunjake said:

Cheers for that. Whoever has my debit card derails continues to make 

charges to my account for the last two days as well! All have been declined since I froze the card though. Nothing from Wise even after the dispute was filed and a separate email was sent. I can’t seem to find a contact number for them as well. 

When I joined wise about 6 years ago they were always at the end of the phone if needed, nowadays they are hard to contact and almost impossible to contact voice to voice… but they are not alone there.
Unless your issue slots into a nice neat little pidgeon hole…

[n00dle]

8 hours ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Just use an American credit card and you are protected...

because everyone is from Murica

[TravelerEastWest]

2 minutes ago, n00dle said:

because everyone is from Murica

I am not sure if you are trying to be funny or just don't much about credit cards.

 

But credit cards are certainly available in America for noncitizens and sometimes you don't even need to live there...

[oliverphoenix2]

" I have since placed a freeze/lock on every single credit/debit card that I have and will only unlock when I make a charge."

   Good advice. I have several debit cards and only load and unblock them when about to make a purchase (e.g. flight, hotel) - except wise which I keep a small amount for everyday purchases and usually only with googlepay. Also with wise you can set a daily spending limit (e.g. 100-200GBP) which is at least better than losing 800. A couple of years ago I had a UK starling bank account and a week after trying to buy an airasia flight online, multiple fraudulent attempts to make a variety of online purchases over a few minutes failed since there was only 5GBP in the account.

[connda]

Use a US bank issued Credit Card and you are protected.  Using a debit card is risky at best.

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Cash, cash and again cash only or as much as possibe.

[swerve]

Credit card fraud is on the rise.  I have had 2 western Visa cards compromised in the past year.  It's a pain to have them replaced (50 minutes on the phone to your bank) and sometimes you don't get reimbursed.  I now only use my cards when I can't pay with phone or cash.

[wombat]

On 11/3/2023 at 9:39 AM, khunjake said:

visa debit card

is not a credit card.

[khunjake]

23 minutes ago, wombat said:

is not a credit card.

Yea i get that. Regardless whether its a debit or credit card, if it is visa, mastercard, unionpay, amex, etc., the holder is protected from fraudulent charges. 

[khunjake]

Finally received an email from wise but it was not from the dispute team. They just said it could be about a week before I receive a response. I have since withdrawn just about all funds from the account as I do not have a high level or comfort and satisfaction regarding the treatment of the dispute case. 

[khunjake]

18 hours ago, connda said:

Use a US bank issued Credit Card and you are protected.  Using a debit card is risky at best.

It is a Visa debit card though which is supposed to have cardholder protections. 

[Freddy42OZ]

Happened to one of my Kasikorn virtual cards recently after buying something through a FB ad. 

They refunded the amount to my account after one phone call, no questions asked.  

Very impressed by their customer service. 

Only hassle was creating a new virtual card and updating all the online subscriptions that were charged to the cancelled number.

[natway09]

With a credit card you have pretty good protection.

With a debit card very little (ask any Thai bank employee)

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, natway09 said:

With a credit card you have pretty good protection.

With a debit card very little (ask any Thai bank employee)

 

With credit and debit cards, it depends on the banking laws/rules in the country where the card was issued.

 

Thailand has very little legally enforced national consumer protection against fraudulent credit and debit card charges.

 

But U.S. issued VISA and MCs have total or almost total protection against fraudulent transactions that's written into federal law and enforced, as long as the cardholder notifies the card issuer promptly after becoming aware of the fraud.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 11/3/2023 at 7:41 PM, connda said:

Use a US bank issued Credit Card and you are protected.  Using a debit card is risky at best.

 

For U.S. issued bank cards, the federal consumer protection rules regarding fraudulent debit card transactions are very similar to those covering credit cards, so long as the cardholder notifies the card issuing entity promptly upon become aware of the fraud.

 

By law, the debit card holder MIGHT be on the hook for the first $50 of a fraudulent transaction, though in my experience banks often don't pursue that, whereas a US VISA or MC cardholder typically would have zero liability.

 

"In most cases, federal law limits your liability for unauthorized debit card purchases to $50, provided you report the fraud within two business days of discovering it.

 

If you report debit card fraud after two business days, but less than 60 calendar days after receiving your account statement, you could be liable for up to $500. If you don't report the fraud within 60 calendar days of receiving your statement, you could be liable for any amount stolen from your account."

 

Note that the 2-day reference is NOT 2 business days from the occurrence of the fraud, but rather, two business days after the cardholder becomes aware of the fraud.

 

https://www.usnews.com/banking/articles/are-debit-cards-protected-from-fraud

 

[wombat]

18 hours ago, wombat said:

is not a credit card.

I  have a debit card at BKK Bank when I use it I get an sms alert to my phone and I get an email.

It doesn't get safer than that.

If there is a hole in their system that let's fraud happen would you post it here please 

[khunjake]

8 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

With credit and debit cards, it depends on the banking laws/rules in the country where the card was issued.

 

Thailand has very little legally enforced national consumer protection against fraudulent credit and debit card charges.

 

But U.S. issued VISA and MCs have total or almost total protection against fraudulent transactions that's written into federal law and enforced, as long as the cardholder notifies the card issuer promptly after becoming aware of the fraud.

 

yes indeed. The Wise visa debit card issued to me is from the US through a US bank (Community Federal Savings).

[khunjake]

8 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

For U.S. issued bank cards, the federal consumer protection rules regarding fraudulent debit card transactions are very similar to those covering credit cards, so long as the cardholder notifies the card issuing entity promptly upon become aware of the fraud.

 

By law, the debit card holder MIGHT be on the hook for the first $50 of a fraudulent transaction, though in my experience banks often don't pursue that, whereas a US VISA or MC cardholder typically would have zero liability.

 

"In most cases, federal law limits your liability for unauthorized debit card purchases to $50, provided you report the fraud within two business days of discovering it.

 

If you report debit card fraud after two business days, but less than 60 calendar days after receiving your account statement, you could be liable for up to $500. If you don't report the fraud within 60 calendar days of receiving your statement, you could be liable for any amount stolen from your account."

 

Note that the 2-day reference is NOT 2 business days from the occurrence of the fraud, but rather, two business days after the cardholder becomes aware of the fraud.

 

https://www.usnews.com/banking/articles/are-debit-cards-protected-from-fraud

 

I filed the dispute case with Wise within 1 hour of receiving the transaction email alerts. So far, nothing from Wise about the case. I have taken out pretty much all funds at this point and will only be using my credit cards moving forward.