Alert.....credit Card Fraud

[BILL]

Subject: Credit card fraud




Be sure to read 'Scene 3'

SCENE 1:
This is a new one. People stay busy trying to cheat us, don't
they?? A man went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker. After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and thought, "Funny, I thought I locked the locker. Hmmmmm." He dressed and flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order. Everything looked okay - all cards were in place.

A few weeks later his credit card bill came - a whopping $14,000! He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying he did not make the transactions. Customer care personnel verified that there was no mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen. "No,"
he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, and yep - you guessed it - a switch had been made. An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards.

Verdict :
The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card
missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them. How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy? $9,000! Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped? Small amounts rarely trigger a "warning bell" with some credit card companies. It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to big one!

SCENE 2:
A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit
card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it, and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along. Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket. Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress and she looked perplexed.
She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card. No exchange of
words --- nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an apology.

Verdict:
Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check
the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time. Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, "assuming" that it has to be theirs. FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION!

SCENE 3:

Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order
that I had called in. I paid by using my Visa Check Card which, of course, is linked directly to my checking account. The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he
picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture.
He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, I'm thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on. It then dawned on me: the only thing there, was my credit card, so now I'm paying close
attention to what he is doing. He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved.

Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card. Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened. Needless to say, I immediately canceled that card as I was
walking out of the pizza parlor. All I am saying is, be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit cards, take caution and don't be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card. Be aware of phones because many have a camera phone these days.

Verdict:

When you are in a restaurant and the waiter/waitress brings your card and receipt for you to sign, make sure you scratch the number off. Some restaurants are using only the last four digits, but a lot of them are still putting the whole thing on there. I have already been a victim of credit card fraud and, believe me, it is not fun. The truth is that they can get you even when you are careful, but don't make it easy for them.

LET'S GET THE WORD OUT!!!!
JUST BE AWARE!!!!

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[GearHead_1]

I think I would have picked up his phone and asked the manager to come forward. If he's doing it to you then someone else has already been burned.

I had a restaurant situation happen to me. While vacationing in Cancun Mexico I purchased a meal for 4 at one of the restaurants that overlooked the Ocean, using my Visa card. A year after the vacation I got a Visa statement that had another meal of approximately the same value charged to it from the same restaurant. Fortunately I had the previous statement and they believed that I had not been back to Mexico. I was issued a new card on the spot.

[FloridaNative]

Wow!! That's good advice, but man!! Does anybody else wish for simpler times?? Nowadays kids can't go out to play by themselves, you have to be vigilant all the time with credit cards, food, medicines, your surroundings, it's exhausting to always be at such a heightened state of alertness! Makes you just want to go home and stay there!

[supercharged]

In scene three, I would break that cell phone, or take it away.

[supercharged]

All creadit card thieves need to be deported to Iraq.

[mr.c]

In scene #3 the individual could have and should have been arrested and convicted I know this I am a retired cop. Enough Said.

[OCDetails]

This site sort of proves why credit card fraud is so easy to pull off. Nobody even looks at them anymore.

[Surfer]

Honestly, I'm 24, and back to when I got my 1st credit card I don't think I've ever seen them check for signature or ask for id except for a few times all these years.

[scottinflorida]

I never sign any of my credit cards. If the person processing my credit cards looks for a signature I will present my drivers license.

It's just something I've done for years to make life a little bit harder for the bad guys.

S>

[P1et]

I've had it happen to me before where I went to a restaurant and the waitress switched the credit cards. In my lifetime, I still have to see a card that same as mine. But in this case, the waitress switches mine with someone else's as we were paying at the same time. I didn't notice until the next day and cancelled BOTH cards. Luckily, nothing was purchased on mine and I didn't purchase anything on his.

But now I'm always watching!