My ATM was used at a store in The Woodlands...but I'm not THERE!

[recuerdeme]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

My account number was also used at a Shell station. The dumb-a$$ that got a hold of my info swiped it for $1.00. The $1.00 charge was what raised the red-flags. My bank was all over it & put a hold on my card which is how the $500+ charge didn't go through later in the morning.

That doesn't make much sense, unless you never use your card for gas... ever. All gas stations put a dollar charge on your account and bill the actual amount later.

[EasilyAmused]

strange. My bank wouldn't tell me the amount. They just told me about the 1.00 charge, which tipped them off. I told them "it's MY money I have a right to know how much they went after," but she said she couldn't give me that info and was making sure I have not authorized that 1.00 charge with the offender.

I read a few things that say Master Card debits have the Pay Pass now which makes them vulnerable to some sort of scan reader. People just have to be close to you and they can read the number. Try to get an MC Debit without a Pay Pass on it from your bank.....it totally offends them that you ask for it and you have to go through the "higer-ups" to get one. It's insane.

Point is, they need to call you if they think something is going on, not just wait untill you call them after they turn off the card.

[BamaTex]

Why does a $1 charge throw up red flags? I constantly put small charges on my debit card ($1.30 Cokes etc).

[EasilyAmused]

I think the 1.00 even sets it off. Also, if it's not your normal spending pattern to put on dollar charges, I'm sure that's a tip.

I've had my personal American Express make me call them on time when I was in Chicago in the morning shopping, NYC at night dinning and then London the next day. It wasn't a normal pattern.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by recuerdeme

That doesn't make much sense, unless you never use your card for gas... ever. All gas stations put a dollar charge on your account and bill the actual amount later.

I've never seen $1 amounts charged to our account.

I don't make a lot of charges for under $5 - in fact, hardly ever. Maybe seeing the history of my charges not being for amounts of less than $5 & then seeing the $1 charge is what sends up the red flag.

Seeing some of the other responses, it seems that they keep an eye on these $1 transactions.

I used to travel all the time. It became part of my history that if I was leaving town, my ATM got air-time at our local airport, then at another airport (connection) and then at the airport of final destination. On my company card, same thing plus very large charges outside of my home city. The $1 & WalMart charge shows up "suddenly" on my account w/out any airport charges. Maybe that sent up red flags too. I don't know.

I'm just glad they caught it - don't really care HOW they tracked it.