worried about credit card fraud

okay, so im at work and these a little corner place i like to eat at during my lunches. today i didn't have dough so i used my credit card. the weird thing about this place is that the credit card machine is not beside the cash register, it is like underneath it. you don't get to see your credit card for a few seconds. so i watched his arm from a side angle and it seemed like he made two hand movements, looked like a double swipe. then he handed my some napkins. now the thing is that i've used my cc there before and i was instantly worried when they first disappeared with my cc, and have been suspicious ever since. no extra charges have been made on it since i used the cc there last month, but i'm still worried about some fraud. now what should i do? besides the obvious, always use cash there from now on.

Maybe your card didn't read the first time??

But if you really are worried, make a big scene and insist they move the machine to where you can see it, or insist on swiping it yourself.

Well look at it on the bright side. If it does happen, you know where to look first.

But seriously, most machines are usually located right beside the register. Something does smell fishy, maybe its just the lunch place.

if you're that worried call your cc company and ask for a new card and destory the old one. then use cash at that place from then on.

Due diligence! I just found about $800 US of DirectTV charges on my Citibank Mastercard, of course not made by me.

Called the CC company, both credit agencies and the RCMP to let all know about my experience. I have absolutely no idea how my number might have gotten out, as I rarely (a few times a year) use this card.

Citibank said they will investigate. We'll see. In the meantime, go over your CC statement every month.

Originally Posted by Hellfire

Maybe your card didn't read the first time??

But if you really are worried, make a big scene and insist they move the machine to where you can see it, or insist on swiping it yourself.

i saw a up down left right movement so yah, that's why im soo scurrreeddd

You really shouldn't be too concerned about this. If you've ever eaten at a restaurant that serves you, if you pay with credit card, they disappear with it for a few minutes while you're still at your table. How is this situation any different? If fradulent charges are made, simply report it and the matter will be sorted out.

Originally Posted by ItemFinder

You really shouldn't be too concerned about this. If you've ever eaten at a restaurant that serves you, if you pay with credit card, they disappear with it for a few minutes while you're still at your table. How is this situation any different? If fradulent charges are made, simply report it and the matter will be sorted out.

thats a good point!

if you are so conserned why dont u lean over the counter and look what the person is doing

There are many instances where a person could steal your cc number. Online shopping, mail order, phone order, waiters, etc....

I'm not paranoid about this stuff anymore because cc companies have good policies about these things and are usually accommodating.

The most common way credit card thieves get their info is by double swipping. They set up a card reader hooked up to a laptop and swipe the card to capture it's information, then they do the regular swipe to charge you for your meal. I once had my card info stolen and when the fraudulant charges started (long distance charges to Europe) I got a call from CIBC and they had already frozen the card as they thought the charges were suspicious. I didn't have to pay any of it, but it was a hassle getting a new card, etc... especially considering I was leaving on a business trip that night.. :/

Bottom line - you probably are fine. I doubt it's in the restaurants best interests to fascilitate a credit card scam as it could be traced back to them. However, I'm sure the way it works is that they get paid a lump sum of cash to double swipe cards for a week or month or whatever. Then, they remove the equipment and the real crooks make the fake cards from the information stored on the laptop and the fraudulant charges only start after the store that harvested your info is "clean".

I let my credit card out of my sight all the time (any time I pay at a restaurant.. more than once a week). Fraud isn't that wide spread.

Feel free to lean over that counter and take a peek though!!! If you see a second card reader..... notify the cops that you think they may be doing something fishy and maybe it will get checked out.

Best of luck.

If your gut feeling is that something isn't right..it's probably not.

I went to Rona with a friend of mine and Rona's Credit Card system was down. They were swiping cards manually. We both were making Visa purchases, but for some reason I told him something wasn't right, and I was going to wait for the system to come up.

He said I was crazy, and he made his purchase manually. About 4 minutes later, their Credit Card system came back online, and I made my purchase.

Well, 2 weeks later... Visa called my friend asking him if he had made a Payless Shoe purchase of $500. He had not used his credit card since the Rona incident. Visa froze his card and issued hom a new one.

I knew deep down it had something to do with that Rona purchase... proving that is another matter.

Keep your eyes on your statements and listen to your intuition.

Originally Posted by north77

If your gut feeling is that something isn't right..it's probably not.

I went to Rona with a friend of mine and Rona's Credit Card system was down. They were swiping cards manually. We both were making Visa purchases, but for some reason I told him something wasn't right, and I was going to wait for the system to come up.

He said I was crazy, and he made his purchase manually. About 4 minutes later, their Credit Card system came back online, and I made my purchase.

Well, 2 weeks later... Visa called my friend asking him if he had made a Payless Shoe purchase of $500. He had not used his credit card since the Rona incident. Visa froze his card and issued hom a new one.

I knew deep down it had something to do with that Rona purchase... proving that is another matter.

Keep your eyes on your statements and listen to your intuition.

if u have a stolen credit card why would you go to payless!?!?!

Needed cheap shoes ?

I've heard that the double swipe method is old now and they can just copy all your info with one swipe, which pays for the bill and copies your info at the same time...