? scam

[rancher1913]

so while checking our bank statement I noticed an atm fee, that stands out because we only use our banks atm, we just dont trust any others. called the bank because there was no transaction with the fee, just an atm fee. took awhile for our bank to track it down, almost like they were trying to come up with an explanation that we would buy.

when they called back we were told that the fee was because we had gotten a balance inquiry printed at an atm in denver. was not us and the bank quickly suggested we have new cards issued and of course they would drop the atm fee.

now here is what I can not figure out, why would someone check our balance and even do a print out, had they just checked balance we would have never known, the fee was triggered because they printed a statement. why would someone that obviously has our security code( they accessed the account) not take any money.

we never use the atm cards for anything except getting money from our bank at our banks atm, we use a credit card for every purchase so that we get the points and the protection. the atm cards did not have a chip, but I'd be willing to bet the new ones will.

there has to be a reason somebody would do this and for the life of me I can not figure their angle. anybody encounter this before? anybody in banking have an idea to share( use pm if you want to), I dont think I will get a real answer from my bank even though they would have a photo of the person or a name of the bank that accessed the account.

maybe a not so trustworthy bank seeing if I was worth coercing into taking out a loan?

[725]

"Trust, but verify" is the kindest way of saying I don't trust anybody who is not a very close & personal friend. Darn few of those. The ways thieves can steal is only limited by the depth of their imagination. There are some very clever rascals out there. This all may be legit - can't see how - better to change out all your stuff and not look back. I hate thieves, but I had a modicum more respect for the ones who stole directly from me. At least I had a chance to punch them in the nose. These slimy cyber thieves are the worst. They never get caught and never suffer any punishment.

[Boolit_Head]

These days the technology exists to scan a card while it is in your wallet in your pocket. A thief can carry a device down a street and collect card info to use. Then they can create a new one at will. Makes you want to get the rolls of tin foil out. The chips in the cards was supposed to combat a lot of the easy ways to scam cards.

[square butte]

I believe it's what's called a ping to see if anyone is paying attention. If no one pitches a fit then they can go for broke. We once had a $2.90 charge on our credit card for itunes or some such. When we contacted the credit card company about it, they called it a "ping" for the above stated purpose

[Minerat]

I'd put a hold on the account. We had a similar problem nothing came of it but I had the bank put a notice on the account to call me if there was any unusual activity on the account. Last call was on a check my wife wrote to pay her credit card. Other option is to close account and open new just in case.

I have an NRA wallet that has card protection built in. You can also get paper envelops for your cards that protect the cards mag strip and prevents electronic snooping.

[rancher1913]

we have done all the fraud stuff to protect us, just wondering if anybody else encountered a simalier scam. the part that make it seam like an inside bank job is the pin, sure they can lift the info from the card but without a pin they can not access the account, and they obviously had the pin.

[RED BEAR]

Why would someone check the balance and not take anything makes no since to me. Once they're in they would get all they could. Why would they generate a fee to see if you would catch it when they could just take your money. Sounds like the bank to me.

[sureYnot]

Why would someone check the balance and not take anything makes no since to me. Once they're in they would get all they could. Why would they generate a fee to see if you would catch it when they could just take your money. Sounds like the bank to me.

Because, if they find nobody is paying attention, they can take $23.58 every month or so, for years to come. If caught, authorities will most likely discover they are skimming from dozens, if not hundreds, of accounts.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

[JBinMN]

This thing about getting Credit/debit card info from someones wallet when they are next to you, let alone a block away is news to me...

Anyway, while I do not use a debit card, I do have a few credit cards in my wallet, but they are stacked up against each other so I find it somewhat hard to believe that they could get the credit card info from my wallet & distinguish between the three all right next to each other.

Not saying it is not possible, I just am quite astonished that something like that would work.

As far as doing a check on an account... When I was talking to some friends yesterday at a restaurant/bar there was a lady there whos debit card did not work for some reason. She asked the bartender to check & see what her balance was, as the woman with the card was surprised, since there was $$ in the bank account , why it was not going thru. The bartender took the card & typed something into the register & turned & said,"Yes, there is plenty in the account.", and no PIN was mentioned or used as far as I saw. I heard the whole conversation from when the lady wanted to pay her tab & all, & the bartender seemed to be able to get the account amount on hand info without a PIN.

I do not know if a charge was made on that ladies account for the query, but I just thought I would mention this instance & that maybe it was just a mistake by someone pressing the wrong buttons for their acct. & getting yours instead. Somewhat similar to dialing up a wrong number when using long distance & the phone company doesn't know you called the wrong number & still bills you for the mistaken call, unless you complain about it.

Anyway, G'Luck! in solving your situation to your satisfaction!

[Big Tom]

I am sure they simply did not know it would trigger a fee - and why not take a printout vs. writing it down manually... Hey, these are thieves and even though they steal money using sophisticated means, they are still thieves - and with that, at least in my books, not equipped with a lot of healthy brain activity to begin with.

[NSB]

Someone's already accessed your account even if they didn't take anything out. Get new cards and put an alert on your credit. Your bank is being straight with you on this. If that person had the ability to do an inquiry, the next step is to set up a line of credit or credit card with the info. Don't keep your present account open.

[INTRLOPER]

This thing about getting Credit/debit card info from someones wallet when they are next to you, let alone a block away is news to me...

Anyway, while I do not use a debit card, I do have a few credit cards in my wallet, but they are stacked up against each other so I find it somewhat hard to believe that they could get the credit card info from my wallet & distinguish between the three all right next to each other.

Not saying it is not possible, I just am quite astonished that something like that would work.

As far as doing a check on an account... When I was talking to some friends yesterday at a restaurant/bar there was a lady there whos debit card did not work for some reason. She asked the bartender to check & see what her balance was, as the woman with the card was surprised, since there was $$ in the bank account , why it was not going thru. The bartender took the card & typed something into the register & turned & said,"Yes, there is plenty in the account.", and no PIN was mentioned or used as far as I saw. I heard the whole conversation from when the lady wanted to pay her tab & all, & the bartender seemed to be able to get the account amount on hand info without a PIN.

I do not know if a charge was made on that ladies account for the query, but I just thought I would mention this instance & that maybe it was just a mistake by someone pressing the wrong buttons for their acct. & getting yours instead. Somewhat similar to dialing up a wrong number when using long distance & the phone company doesn't know you called the wrong number & still bills you for the mistaken call, unless you complain about it.

Anyway, G'Luck! in solving your situation to your satisfaction!

This is really gonna stun you. I have actually held and played with a device that can tell me how much of the new money you have in your wallet. Any of the new bills with the little strip in them can be read from far enough away to scare you. It would be good tech if one was deciding on who to rob or not. The unit is about the size of a scientific calculator.

[Adam_Selene]

Why would someone check the balance and not take anything makes no since to me. Once they're in they would get all they could. Why would they generate a fee to see if you would catch it when they could just take your money. Sounds like the bank to me.

To make sure it works. Why they didn't withdraw? I don't know. Usually I'd suggest that it got blocked (had that happen before - charges in Atlanta when I haven't been to Georgia in years, USAA shut the card down and called me), but then typically you'd be getting a phone call from whoever stopped any further action.

Glad to hear you caught it before any money was taken.

[Elkins45]

This is really gonna stun you. I have actually held and played with a device that can tell me how much of the new money you have in your wallet. Any of the new bills with the little strip in them can be read from far enough away to scare you. It would be good tech if one was deciding on who to rob or not. The unit is about the size of a scientific calculator.

Who made this device? I would like to know more about it.

[INTRLOPER]

Who made this device? I would like to know more about it.

The U.S Patent Office can be your friend.

[Hogtamer]

New group buy! A mold to cast credit card sheath. What would be the best alloy?

[sav300]

You may give youtube a try and see what comes up.

[snowwolfe]

In this day and age of free credit cards that pay rebates I see no reason whatsoever to have a ATM card.

[rancher1913]

thats what makes this whole thing odd, we never use the debit/atm for anything other than our local bank. how did they get not only the account numbers but also the pin. figure to go have a chat with the local branch manager this week.

[JBinMN]

This is really gonna stun you. I have actually held and played with a device that can tell me how much of the new money you have in your wallet. Any of the new bills with the little strip in them can be read from far enough away to scare you. It would be good tech if one was deciding on who to rob or not. The unit is about the size of a scientific calculator.

Yes. That is crazy, and it also alarms me a bit.

I might have to go look into this more...

Thanks for mentioning it.