DebzinUS

Last week I received a call from my bank (USAA) informing me that it was highly likely that my debit card information had been stolen/compromised. The name of the organization attempting to empty my bank account? "The Muslim Charity"

Today, USAA tells me that this organization is based in the UK, and all attempted transactions originated in the UK. I spent six weeks at home in June/July. However, I don't/can't use my debit card there as I do not have a chip and pin. I didn't use at an ATM. The only thing I can think of is a card reader? Any ideas?

scrubbedexpat091

Have you used it in the US at any number of the companies that have had their data compromised/stolen?

Could have been a coincidence they are from the US and transactions based there and they may have obtained your info on the black market from one of the many data hacks that have been happening.

I'd had my card number compromised and trying to be used in Australia on some gaming site, I haven't been to Australia in 15 years, and certainly did not have that card then, but I did use it at Wal-Mart online (in Canada) as well as Home Depot and Target all of which have had data stolen, so I assume it was from one of those companies.


They don't accept non chip/pin cards over there? We have chip and pin here, but the machines still permit non-chip cards since the US hasn't gone to that system yet across the board, but being right next door, suppose we have no choice since so many US cards are used here. Although there are some places who will not accept non-chip cards, but they are normally ma and pa places.

kimilseung

We seem to get new "just in case" new card every few months from our bank. My guess is it is a breach at the bank or one of its customers (as JSmith suggests)

petitefrancaise

my son's brand new never used atm card was used fraudulently almost as soon as he arrived in Beijing.

Turns out that there is technology available to "lift" info from the magnetic strip just by walking past someone with a reader to do it. You can buy wallets that will stop this.

jjmb

I remember seeing a news report about this method of lifting information from your card last year. Pretty sure it was on the BBC. As far as I can make out its the cards where you just touch a scanner to pay that a prone to this type of attack. Apparently wrapping your card in tin foil is the easiest solution or foil in a wallet. Hope your son got his money back straight away PF.

petitefrancaise

Actually, it turned out ok...
we had opened the account specifically so that he could access cash atms in Beijing. I hadn't got around to putting any money into the account, no rush since we had given him cash to use for a few days. Anyway, after a day or so, I transferred some cash and said he could now use his card. At this point, he had never taken the card out of the pouch around his waist. He went to an atm and couldn't withdraw cash, he messaged me about it and I spoke to the guy at our bank - he said our son had already tried to use the card in a shop the day he arrived in Beijing but it had been refused due to lack of funds. Of course, that hadn't been him. His problem had been pushing the wrong account type button (credit and not checking).
Anyway, we didn't want to stop the card because then our son would have no way of obtaining cash. So, we just transferred $100 which would be available for him straightaway and he withdrew it within 10 minutes or so. I think we avoided the crooks actually taking money because the account was kept empty. That card has now been stopped.

More worrying though is that the same devices used to steal his card details can also read the chips in our passports. So, this is what I am getting for our next trip...
http://www.containerstore.com/s/trav...uctId=10037118

audio

Same thing but perhaps a bit cheaper . I made a six layer bank note size of foil. It’s placed in my wallet next to bank notes and when the wallet is closed it shields the bank cards. This should
prevent most scanning fraud.

Pulaski

I seem to recall someone advised you that this "opening an account" plan for a short visit, was unnecessarily compex and likley to cause problems.

TimFountain

There is no technology for "lifting" information from a magnetic strip, other than physically swiping the card through a reader. Now if the card has NFC or RFiD then yes, there are methods to read the card from a reasonably close distance.

Pulaski

That's what I was thinking ...... there are a number of proximity cards/ devices, and some of th4 gas companies use them, but reading a magnetic strip remotely didn't sound plausible.

audio

I think pf meant contactless credit card fraud.
Hacker's Demo Shows How Easily Credit Cards Can Be Read Through Clothes And Wallets - Forbes

petitefrancaise

No. We were advised that opening a CHINESE bank account was not needed.

This was his wells fargo account. I wish we had opened the chinese account. If THAT card had been cloned like his wells fargo one was then we could have easily stopped the card and got a replacement. As it was, getting a replacement card to him was nigh-on impossible without fed-exing it, since wells fargo have no personal account branches in china.

Pulaski

Ooops. Sorry to hear that. .... Was it a new "chip" card?

scrubbedexpat091

Fraud and all this sort of thing is why I never rely on credit or debit cards when travelling, cash is king.

After the last trip when the card was compromised and was cancelled by the bank on their own, and how difficult it was to access funds and the mess it created. I will never travel relying on using ATM/Debit or credit cards again.

When your in another country and your card is compromised and cancelled, you can be up the creek as there is no way to get a replacement quickly as it takes 2-3 weeks for the bank to issue and send a new one out.

petitefrancaise

I don't know what type of card it was. I didn't even get to see it. He now has his new, permanent card which has the same number as the temporary one he took to china. Anyone know if this means he should bin that as well and get a totally different number. At the moment, we are not putting money into his account until we've spoken to the guy at the bank and gone through all the withdrawals with our son (he's been back 2 days).