Have you been able to determine what was purchased with the card/ from whom ?

Any other clues as to what was going on, yet ?

About 4 years ago someone got hold of my credit card info and went on a nice cash advance spending spree over the Songkran period, from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai and then to Bangkok and on to PHuket. I was in Lampang the entire time. Fortunately I didn't have to pay the bill, but I cancelled the cash advance option straight away. Every now and then the security department puts a hold on my credit card, if they see something unusual on it. I, of course, don't know about it until I try to use the card and it gets rejected. LOVE when that happens...

Had a similar problem which fraudulent charges also generated in Arizona.

Started noticing fares from Sun Air being charged against my Visa while I was up in the northwest US.

Come to find out and apparently per Visa this is a common MO, a merchant that physically handles the card, sends info to to another friend / accomplice in another state, less exposure for the initial handler,

I'd assume some form of kick-back comes back to original handler.

Especially online CC frauds there is almost all the time 2 levels involved.

First the guys who acquire card details and information online, scanning you card at the ATM's, going thru your mail... These guys then sell the details to "collectors", just read article on this (not in english though so not posting it here). Price is something like USD 1.50 per card or 2.50 if the three number verification code is included.

Anyways there "collectors" then use the card and empty your account and sometimes split the money with the seller providing the information.

Good thing with credit cards is that you are not usually required to pay these purchases or cash advance. I guess with debit card you are responsible up to the amount you have in your account. Also one should set security limits for maximum daily / monthly usage of the card. This is possible at least with the european banks.

Have you been able to determine what was purchased with the card/ from whom ?

Any other clues as to what was going on, yet ?

Spoke with the CU last night AZ time...

I have every merchant name where things were purchased. Visa Fraud Services told me that everything was bought online. One purchase was for 1500 in eyeware and another for mobile phone service for 1200USD..

It's basically up to the bank to now go after them.

(Usually the bank just takes the hit, and like shoplifting from a grocery store, the burden is normally passed onto the customer ( us) somewhere along the line.)

I was told to fill out a "dispute visa charges" form online which included "card was stolen, compromised" area on the form. Bank told me that my money would be returned into my account with 5 to 10 days.

I'm not going to be held responsible for the charges, whew! and I get my money back, no problems.

This is the reason I use a credit card other than a debit/ATM card. I can recover the amount taken in a relative short period of time...like Lopburi stated..ATM/debit you are SOL for whatever they extract from your account.

It is a credit union so my fees for using the card to "advance" money are small, and normally not charged since I replace it within days.

So far, so good.

But this is my life...anything can happen at anytime, normally not pleasant and I have learned to accept it.

My luck or lack or it. ( still alive tho, so I keep smiling )

Have you been able to determine what was purchased with the card/ from whom ?

Any other clues as to what was going on, yet ?

Spoke with the CU last night AZ time...

I have every merchant name where things were purchased. Visa Fraud Services told me that everything was bought online. One purchase was for 1500 in eyeware and another for mobile phone service for 1200USD..

It's basically up to the bank to now go after them.

(Usually the bank just takes the hit, and like shoplifting from a grocery store, the burden is normally passed onto the customer ( us) somewhere along the line.)

I was told to fill out a "dispute visa charges" form online which included "card was stolen, compromised" area on the form. Bank told me that my money would be returned into my account with 5 to 10 days.

I'm not going to be held responsible for the charges, whew! and I get my money back, no problems.

This is the reason I use a credit card other than a debit/ATM card. I can recover the amount taken in a relative short period of time...like Lopburi stated..ATM/debit you are SOL for whatever they extract from your account.

It is a credit union so my fees for using the card to "advance" money are small, and normally not charged since I replace it within days.

So far, so good.

But this is my life...anything can happen at anytime, normally not pleasant and I have learned to accept it.

My luck or lack or it. ( still alive tho, so I keep smiling )

The bank does not take the hit. The merchants do.

Have you been able to determine what was purchased with the card/ from whom ?

Any other clues as to what was going on, yet ?

Spoke with the CU last night AZ time...

I have every merchant name where things were purchased. Visa Fraud Services told me that everything was bought online. One purchase was for 1500 in eyeware and another for mobile phone service for 1200USD..

It's basically up to the bank to now go after them.

(Usually the bank just takes the hit, and like shoplifting from a grocery store, the burden is normally passed onto the customer ( us) somewhere along the line.)

I was told to fill out a "dispute visa charges" form online which included "card was stolen, compromised" area on the form. Bank told me that my money would be returned into my account with 5 to 10 days.

I'm not going to be held responsible for the charges, whew! and I get my money back, no problems.

This is the reason I use a credit card other than a debit/ATM card. I can recover the amount taken in a relative short period of time...like Lopburi stated..ATM/debit you are SOL for whatever they extract from your account.

It is a credit union so my fees for using the card to "advance" money are small, and normally not charged since I replace it within days.

So far, so good.

But this is my life...anything can happen at anytime, normally not pleasant and I have learned to accept it.

My luck or lack or it. ( still alive tho, so I keep smiling )

The bank does not take the hit. The merchants do.

Agreed, I stand corrected.

Have you been able to determine what was purchased with the card/ from whom ?

Any other clues as to what was going on, yet ?

Spoke with the CU last night AZ time...

I have every merchant name where things were purchased. Visa Fraud Services told me that everything was bought online. One purchase was for 1500 in eyeware and another for mobile phone service for 1200USD..

It's basically up to the bank to now go after them.

(Usually the bank just takes the hit, and like shoplifting from a grocery store, the burden is normally passed onto the customer ( us) somewhere along the line.)

I was told to fill out a "dispute visa charges" form online which included "card was stolen, compromised" area on the form. Bank told me that my money would be returned into my account with 5 to 10 days.

I'm not going to be held responsible for the charges, whew! and I get my money back, no problems.

This is the reason I use a credit card other than a debit/ATM card. I can recover the amount taken in a relative short period of time...like Lopburi stated..ATM/debit you are SOL for whatever they extract from your account.

It is a credit union so my fees for using the card to "advance" money are small, and normally not charged since I replace it within days.

So far, so good.

But this is my life...anything can happen at anytime, normally not pleasant and I have learned to accept it.

My luck or lack or it. ( still alive tho, so I keep smiling )

The bank does not take the hit. The merchants do.

It that so ? I didn't know/realize that...

That's sour for the shops/business who sold and delivered the goods since they act in good faith and trust. I don't understand that the merchants suffer since the online-transaction is automatically verified by the CC system and approved by the CC company (3-digit number on the back of the CC), isn't it ?

So, HOW would the thief(s) know about this 3-digit number ?

So, why should the merchant suffer instead the CC company ?

LaoPo

Have you been able to determine what was purchased with the card/ from whom ?

Any other clues as to what was going on, yet ?

My luck or lack or it. ( still alive tho, so I keep smiling )

The bank does not take the hit. The merchants do.

It that so ? I didn't know/realize that...

That's sour for the shops/business who sold and delivered the goods since they act in good faith and trust. I don't understand that the merchants suffer since the online-transaction is automatically verified by the CC system and approved by the CC company (3-digit number on the back of the CC), isn't it ?

So, HOW would the thief(s) know about this 3-digit number ?

So, why should the merchant suffer instead the CC company ?

LaoPo

don't lose any sleep about it.. Merchants can avoid most charge backs and for those that don't they usually anticipate a level of fraud and factor it into prices. In the end the customers ultimately pay for fraud in the form of higher prices. As is usual a lot of TV posters do half a$$ research and don't know a whole lot.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_card_fraud#Profits.2C_losses_and_punishment

Credit card companies do not profit from fraud. Less than half the money is recoverable and credit card companies have to bear the entire fraud loss. Chargebacks are only done when a merchant doesn't have customer signature or doesn't have complete cardholder information. In addition credit card companies have to pay for preventing fraud while maintaining a good customer experience. Online merchants have the ability to sign up for services offered by Visa and Mastercard i.e. "Verified By Visa" or "Mastercard Secure Code" to prevent being "chargedback" for fraud transactions.