Forums Latest Members

No wonder credit card fraud is rampant.

  1. ulackfocus Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    Just got a call from Best Buy and an email from Discover simultaneously. Somebody was trying to use my Discover Card number to buy a $2,000 Microsoft Surface Book on-line, and pick it up from the Best Buy store around the corner from my house tonight.

    At first, I was glad they called and stopped me from getting ripped off. Then an idea hit - what if they replied to the fraudster on the bogus email address that the computer was ready for pick-up, and when he showed up have plain clothes police arrest him at the counter as soon as he identified himself as me.

    On the phone, I tried to get 2 different people from Best Buy to have the guy arrested, and then tried to call the store to have him apprehended when he showed up to get the computer. No dice - they don't do things like that. Even called the Deptford Police and they said since I was calling from Cherry Hill (where I'm working today) that I need to call the Cherry Hill Police to report it. (WTF?!?!? The friggin crime is in Deptford!!!!!) Oh well, I guess the crook will have to find somebody else's card number because he can't use mine. Sucks that he'll just move on to the next poor hard working person and screw them because nobody wants to put out a little effort.

    Now you know why credit card fraud and identity theft is so popular. Nobody wants to make an effort to actually nail the SOB's doing it. It would have been SOOOO easy to snag him too. Even my brother-in-law (a detective in a town a few miles away) said there was nothing he could do to help, and the laws are written to have protection for the criminals moreso than the victims.
     
    Linesiders, JohnSteed, flw and 4 others like this.
  2. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    15,047
    Likes
    23,789
    Thanks a lot I really needed that Surface Book :(
     
  3. ulackfocus Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    You know, we could have worked out a deal for that sweet pink gold capped Constellation and a watch to be named later.
     
    OMGRLX and ahartfie like this.
  4. Jwit Not a doctor, but plays one on ΩF Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    2,361
    Likes
    12,632
    Why a surface of all things. They suck. I use them for work and they are nothing but trouble.

    If I were you I would go myself and wait for the guy then follow him home and leave a note in his mailbox that he is f::censored::ing with the wrong person.

    Glad you figured it out ahead of time though. Now what watch are you going to buy with the $2000 that was almost "stolen" from you?
     
  5. Jking something intelligent and witty... Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    578
    Likes
    2,559
    Hey aren't you in Jersey? Don't you know someone that can "take care of that for you"....or maybe I've just watched too many episodes of The Sopranos.
     
    ELV web, watchme, kkt and 3 others like this.
  6. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    12,168
    Likes
    15,625
    1. I'd guess that it was a bogus e-mail address, probably hard or impossible for the police to trace. Some of these fraudsters are part of organized gangs outside the US and just use local stooges to pick up the merchandise after it has been "paid" for.

    2. Because of that, it is unlikely that Best Buy wants to invite them into a store. OK, the police will be there, but can they guarantee that this would be handled quickly and quietly? Of course not.

    3. A public place like a retail store is not a good venue for a police sting operation. Too many things can go wrong. If they do, people could get hurt and the store would be liable.

    4. There was a great NBC Dateline on this several years ago involving people involved with transportation of merchandise purchased with stolen credit cards from places like eBay and Amazon. Basically, it involved people being paid for receiving packages, relabeling and giving boxes to UPS or FedEx. They never opened the boxes or touched the merchandise. Just got it via carrier and shipped it out via carrier. Hired to do a job and were never arrested.

    A small part of every retail transaction and credit card charge contains a fee that covers the cost of this type of fraud. The local police know this and are reluctant to get involved, as frequently they lack the jurisdiction to get at the real criminals who are likely outside the US. If the amounts are large enough and interstate transport can be proven, maybe the FBI would get involved.

    Retail and internet stores know that some fraud is a cost of doing business in the internet age and either factor it into the price, or self-insure for it.
    gatorcpa
     
    EdtheAussie, kkt, Archer and 3 others like this.
  7. ulackfocus Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    c621ac9cf63cd41141c42bd69a676711.jpg


    EDIT: the correct phrase is "I gotta guy". Doesn't matter if the subject is birthday cake, plumbing, or influence by force - if you know somebody in that business / racket, you always say "I gotta guy".
     
    Edited Nov 16, 2016
    Nitzbar, JohnSteed, flw and 4 others like this.
  8. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    12,168
    Likes
    15,625
    That's the Al Capone method of dealing with stealing. Watch "The Untouchables".

    Make sure it's the movie with Kevin Costner and Sean Connery, not the older TV shoe.
    gatorcpa
     
    watchme likes this.
  9. ulackfocus Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    I know the scene - and it was a wooden bat. ;)

    Aluminum is preferred in NY, NJ, and Nevada - the three states where if you say "dig a hole" nobody expects you to be talking about planting shrubbery.
     
    Nitzbar and flw like this.
  10. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    12,168
    Likes
    15,625
    They didn't have aluminum bats in the 1930's :rolleyes:

    [​IMG]

    The Captain approves! :thumbsup:
    gatorcpa
     
    Nitzbar and ulackfocus like this.
  11. Jking something intelligent and witty... Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    578
    Likes
    2,559
    My favorite method...and a great movie too.
     
  12. mozartman ♫♭♬ ♪ Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    325
    Likes
    295
    As usual, gatorcpa, you nailed it. Elaborate sting operations are fun to watch on TV, but even fairly simple ones are difficult and costly to do right. One mistake, and innocent people can be hurt. Look at that embarrassing incident during the US Open when African-American tennis star James Blake was tackled by a plain-clothes cop in front of a posh NYC hotel. That was an anti-fraud sting operation gone wrong. I sympathize with you, ulackfocus (Dennis?) but law enforcement are very careful with their limited resources, nor is Best Buy going to bother with it. They don't want the police in their store every other day with things like this.
     
  13. ulackfocus Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    Youze guyz are no fun. :(

    I wanted to see the dude get the taser. :D
     
    RegF, Nitzbar, flw and 2 others like this.
  14. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    26,751
    Likes
    32,468
    My bank only seems to catch me not thieves, when I bought my Nikon camera setup years ago it was a $3,700 charge in another city, then I walked around the corner to get some hot chips at the cafe next door to the camera shop, get my $4.50 chips and coke declined only to have the bank call and tell me they've saved me from having my card used after seeing suspicious activity.

    Said thanks guys, now I have no chips or way of paying for lunch and any real thief would have already gotten the camera. Nice job saving me from a $4.50 loss.
     
    RegF, Nitzbar, JohnSteed and 7 others like this.
  15. ahartfie The black sheep in the Spee-ee-eee-eedmaster flock Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    1,145
    Likes
    3,126
    I assume Discover is sending you a new card with a different number?

    My card issuer was pretty quick to send me a new card when this happened to me about two years ago. Being in MA at the time, I was pretty sure I wasn't using my card at a Home Depot in Atlanta.

    ETA: My card issuer thought my recent iPhone purchase was fraud and blocked it twice. I was pretty annoyed but thought AT&T's systems were just having trouble. A few hours later when I checked my email, I figured out what had happened.
     
  16. Jungle Jim Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    38
    Likes
    38
    Dennis-- Glad to see you repurposed the "Banhammer". ;)


    All the Best.
     
    ulackfocus likes this.
  17. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    6,295
    Likes
    73,410
    Do you want to see me get the taser?

    I have video of it around here somewhere...I was tasered during training when I was with the Cincinnati Police.
     
    Uniqez, RegF, Jwit and 3 others like this.
  18. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    26,751
    Likes
    32,468
    YES, Yes we do. Post this now in a new thread please :D
     
    Nitzbar, Vitezi, Hijak and 3 others like this.
  19. ulackfocus Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    Yep. It isn't the first time this has happened to me. In the last 18 months of so, it's been 3 times with my debit card (once from Poland used on eBay. Poland!) and once with another card. That should explain my use of the word "rampant" in the title.

    I was proficient with the aluminum bat LONG before being issued my first ban::psy::hammer.

    Oh, I abso-freakin-lootely want to see that!
     
    Mad Dog and tyrantlizardrex like this.
  20. ossfm Nov 16, 2016

    Posts
    272
    Likes
    372
    To bring this to a watch discussion :), my most recent watch purchase was from a dealer in London. It's too bad I couldn't pick it up in person. Anyway, they didn't take Discover so I used the Mastercard. The dealer ran the card and it was rejected. I was on the phone with him when it happened. He ran it again just to be sure. I told him I would fix it and get back to him.

    I called the card issuer and got the automated call router. One of the options was "Press 3 if you are calling about a recently rejected purchase". The next level in the menu read out the dealer name and the amount rejected. They gave the option to "Press 1 to allow the purchase." Of course I did and the menu responded by saying "Instruct the merchant to process again; the charge will be accepted."

    It was that easy. The whole thing was over in 30 seconds. I have to say, I was impressed. I expected a big, long hassle but it wasn't. That made me happy.

    Not happy enough to change the Discover card from the default choice though...