My credit card was recently "compromised". How does someone in Cambria Hts., NY go about using my credit card at a McDonalds without physically having my card? Even I haven't used my card in the past few weeks.
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YupYup84
ANSWERS: 4
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Someone could have been in your town in Alabama and found unshredded credit card receipts, and the McDonald's person in NY just wasn't careful in accepting the transaction. Or I guess they could pretend to be you, call the credit card company,claim to have moved and lost the original card and get a new one issued? I don't suppose you had 2 cards issued and one is missing? Sorry this happened, what a bummer!
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The criminal may very well have a card. There are "skimming" devices that will capture the card information (or the card information is hacked from a computer). There are other devices that can program a magnetic strip with your (stolen) credit card information. Some skimming devices have even been attached to point-of-sale (POS) machines and ATMs. No one even checks to make sure that the signatures match nowadays. It's been around for a while and is still a problem. This article was from May 2002: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20020524a.asp
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There is also a computer program that can calculate possible account numbers, called "credit master". The culprits obtain valid card #'s and then punch them into the program. Card numbers are not sequential and there is a formula to determine the next series of numbers. It's possible that your card # was in that series that was calculated as a possible #. They then test the card #'s with internet orders usually ranging from $1-$5. If the order gets processe they know it's a valid # and an actual credit card is made and the account # get's imprinted and then used.
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Also, anytime you even SUSPECT your info has been compromised, call your credit company. Most major card companies won't hesitate to cancel out your old account and issue you a new card with new CVV code (3 or 4 digits on signature strip) and exp. dates - that being done renders the exsisting card as invalid and useless.
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