OT - Someone cleaned out my bank accounts

[redkim]

I went to Starbucks Saturday on the way to get my nephew a b-day gift and to go to his b-day party. My card declined, and my bank is a block away so I went to the ATM to see what was up, and it said not authorized. So I went inside and the woman asked me if used my card at a Lowes for over $2100 in a town over 200 miles away...um no!  Plus additional charges I found out about later.

So my entire savings, checking is gone and they assessed $900 in overdraft fees. I am so upset. I called the Lowes and they are working with their loss prevention and we filed a police report. My bank is saying it can take 15 days to investigate and they can't start until Tuesday. My sister is letting us borrow money in the mean time!

I spent an hour on the phone with the bank to see if they could reinstate our account while they do their investigation, this is obviously fraud – plus I couldn’t be in two places at once.  I was using my debit card in San Diego, where I live will this criminal was using my card.   That upsets me more then anything! The supervisor said they tried to call us, at an old number from six years ago.  I told the guy I didn’t have

The bank said they will probably return all the money and remove the fees. I asked about my husbands pay check and the guy said to not have it deposited but to cash it, but the bank normally requires it to be deposited and they MAY make an exception.

I think I need a new bank.

[ChiariWolf]

We actually went through this in the past. I contacted my bank immediately. They verified that fortunately I swiped my card in a gas pump down in southern Tennessee within an hour of the time that someone went on a spending spree up in Cleveland, OH. It did take nearly 10 days but the bank did return all my money and canceled the overdraft fees. It seems to me that it took a bit longer than that to get the fees refunded... don't recall but they did do it eventually.

Yes, I know the stress of what to do in the mean time is unreal! Another time a few years before that someone in Cleveland again was obtaining SSI on my social number, the sheriff came to my home and hauled me off to the station in handcuffs. I had to verify who I am as I was getting a check for SSDI where I lived at the time. Talk about stress! Yeah, hang in there you don't need the extra stress. For me it worked out in the end both times. My bank gave me a few tips they 'claim' will help prevent it from happening again. Ask your bank to keep you informed and let you know how and where they got your numbers and how to stop it from happening again. We shall see.

DeStress.... take care
Wolf

Wolf

[selmaS]

It doesn't make sense and the Bank is at fault to allow it to go thru...I belong to a credit union and even tho I gave them info on using my card in another country, they called my DH to check to be sure the location was correct as we were going to several countries in  a 2 week period....I was happy for the close eye they kept on my account.

[redkim]

The Lowes said the person swiped a card on the credit machine, and the numbers matched mine, but the name on card didn't.  So someone created a new card with my credit card number then went crazy spending it.  I am upset that my bank let this transaction go through, which cleaned out my checking, then savings accounts and over drafted.  Why would anyone drive 200 miles away (while at the same time using their card in another city) and spend $900 more then they had in their checking and savings combined.  Red flags there!

[*Stormy*]

Wow...I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this along with everything else!! I'm so sorry.

It may not be a case of indentity theft...I know here that some criminals have made fake debit card pin pads and then they switch them when no ones looking. The fake ones record everyone's card number and pin number. Then they make a new card with your number, use the pin # and they can access your account. This happened to my DH"s card but thankfully the police caught it b4 they had a chance to use his. I remember they also were doing that with some of the bank machines too. Do you know if they have targeted anyone else?

I hope this gets resolved quickly for you!
Carolyn

[selmaS]

Hi ...wow, so sorry, but identity theft is on the rise...so scary that it can happen like that.

From what I understand, u want to get letters from ur employer showing how long u have worked there...to show how long u have used that SS# and to show u have not moved around....I was a HR manager and had to do that for a employee that had ID theft.


It helps with the investigation and tax issues...I did it every yr so do keep copies so iti s easier to redo the letter each yr.

It does take a while to straighten out.....I was just talking to a friend that has a service similar to LifeLock...and wondering if 10$ a month is worth it to prevent this sort of thing.....I am thinking mayb it is.


Good luck on getting this all sorted out Kim!!

"selma"