T Nation

Credit Card Fraud

Off Topic
#1

This isn’t a run-of-the-mill ZOMG!! warning I got from my sister’s husband’s 3rd cousin because it actually happened to me this morning.

I noticed I had a deduction of 15 cents dated Nov 13 on one of my credit cards this morning - what caught my attention is that I’ve never used the card in question (I kept it to use in an emergency).

The merchant name was listed as ‘GFDL 800-764-0847’ and when I called the 800 number I got a recording saying the number wasn’t in service.

I googled it and found out this has happened others as well, the only caveat is some people have had an additional amount of money withdrawn (a few hundred dollars) some days after the initial withdrawal.

After looking around online a bit, here’s the most common info I’ve found:

  1. The deduction seems to be around 13-19 cents.
  2. It’s affected both credit and debit cards issued from different banks - even those who haven’t used the affected credit card such as myself.
  3. The unauthorized charge is dated around 11/12 - 11/15.
  4. It’s the same merchant name (GFDL), but the listed 800 number may be different. Every call to the 800 number gets a recording that it’s out of service.

In some cases the banks have picked it up but others haven’t. My advice is to check your accounts for any withdrawals by GFDL around that date and if you find anything suspicious to let your bank know. Someone I know checked their accounts after I told them what happened and there wasn’t anything amiss, so this hasn’t hit everyone.

If anyone wants to do any research on their own, google: ‘GFDL 800-764-0847’

#2

I wonder if they do the strange, small amount to see if the card is active and if they can charge on it.

Thanks for the heads up!!!

#3

It’s usual to withdraw a small amount from some accounts just to test if they work, if some hacker is selling them to another hacker/mafia-guy. So your account has probably just been sold to someone wanting your money.

If you wont use it for a while, I’d call the bank and ask them to freeze it for a while, and maybe give you a new card with a new card number.

This market is f*!"# huge unfortunately, and you can get robbed because some bank-employee doesnt have antivirus or because of a small coding-error in the banks webpage or whatever.

The only thing one can do to protect yourself is having anti-virus on your own computer and cross your fingers every time you use your card for anything.

I find cracking/hacking very interesting myself, but stealing other peoples money thats just wrong and immoral :@

#4

[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:

I wonder if they do the strange, small amount to see if the card is active and if they can charge on it.

Thanks for the heads up!!!

[/quote]

This happens all the time with debit cards. It has gotten to the point where if you travel, you might not be able to use your card in other states. Only to take your money directly out of atm machines. Even if a customer has called and told the bank that they are traveling they still can’t use their card in stores.

#5

I had my Visa stolen by some strangers in Mexico a couple of weeks ago. At first I thought the resort (on the beach) we went to a couple of years ago got hacked, but the card was used at a few random grocery stores in the middle of the country. They got about $600 worth of merchandise. Fraud protection ftw!

#6

I check my accounts frequently.

Didn’t find anything like this on my cards. All is good at the moment.