I had my debit card number stolen...

Marty,

Do a fraud report with your bank.  This happened to me recently.  My bank actually called me to alert me.  While on the phone with them, I went online to check my account, and it had been wiped out.  My bank was awesome about refunding all my money within a day the fraudulent purchases cleared my account.  But you MUST contact your bank's fraud department and file a claim in order for them to put your money back permanently.  They may do a provisional pay-back, but they can and will take the money back if you don't do everything they tell you to do, and filing a fraud claim is step one.  It's actually easier than it sounds...I just want to make sure you do everything you can to make sure you get your money back.  I was extremely impressed at how simple Wachovia made it for me, and how nice the people were while I freaked out on the phone, lol.

In my case, which sounds the same as you, my card number was stolen, not my actual card.  Then the next week, my BF's card number was also stolen!  The only thing we can figure is that we both used our cards at the same place where someone was stealing card numbers and making up fake cards.  The fraudulent charges on BF's card were done in our county (Gwinnett Co, GA), but all of mine were done in Orlando, FL, so someone was probably collecting card numbers and selling them.  Somebody had a good ol' time with my card that weekend....I had just gotten paid and they took every penny out of my account!

Now every time I use my card at a store where you swipe it yourself, I hold my card so that my fingers cover up the card number.  I've heard of folks taking pictures of cards with cell phones.  Also, at a gas pump or ATM machine, look carefully at the part where you insert your card.  I think there are some devices called "skimmers" that criminals will put in there that scan a copy of your card number.  They will look a little odd, but you have to look for it.  I've heard Clark Howard talk about these things on his radio show.  I also am now very hesistant about giving my card number over the phone.  I'm pretty sure this is how our numbers were stolen.  We ordered from a take-out/delivery place within a couple weeks using both our cards, where you give your number over the phone.  How easy it would be for the person on the other end of the line to just write it down and make a new card!  I will only use cash now for take-out orders.

Good luck, and I sympathize with what you're going through.  Be sure to check your account every day for more fraudulent charges.  Some of the ones didn't clear my account for a few days, depending on how long it takes the retail outlet to report their credit card transactions.

Yikes!!! 

You should also phone TransUnion and any other credit bureaus to report this, and have them flag your account, then, if this person tries to do anything else, it will be taken care of.

I had my identity stolen several months ago, and it sucks bad.  But report this activity to all the places you need to, because they might be able to get other things in your name

It's just plain scary how easy it is for thieves to do this any more.  Any time you swipe your card anywhere you just run that risk, which is why I check by bank accounts on-line every day. If you have your card with you, there's just no other way to know if your number has been stolen, and that's something you need to know before waiting for a bank statement to arrive in the mail. These devices aren't new.  Maybe 15 years or so ago, I opened my phone bill to find I owed almost $1,000 for calls to the Gold Coast and someplace in the middle east where I don't know anyone.  That theft most likely happened when I swiped a phone card at the airport. As soon as I called the phone co., they said they could tell by usage over the years that the calls weren't mine.

Joyce

 I feel your pain as I've had my  debit card 'compromised' as well.  I went out one morning and used my card at 2 locations - a gas station and a drug store. At 1pm that same day, I went to buy groceries and it rejected my card for NSF!  I immediately drove to my bank. My account was not only empty it was overdrawn $250. The bank was great. Launched and investigation and I had the money refunded to my account in a couple of days. What really bugged me however is 1. I have a $500 daily withdrawl limit, yet that day $1,700 was withdrawn in cash at an ATM. 2. On occasion, I have tried to use my debit card and have not had the funds in my account. It is always rejected. The thieves however were able to  over draw my account. The bank could not give me an explanation other to say that it was probably because I was such a good customer. Funny how I was only 'that' good on that particular day. Anyways, the bank told me that gas stations are the #1 location where debit card information is stolen and I should NEVER use my card to buy gas.

Denise,

 $500.00 is your cash or POS Pinned limit.  However, the signature side of your Debit card is usually around 1500.00 to 2000.00 per day.  That's how they did that.

Marty,

This is all good advise, good luck and be sure to work with your bank they will refund you after you complete their paperwork.

 Thanks for all the good advice!  It was a shock when I first saw it, but that is why I do check my account daily.  "Can't trust nobody no more."

marty_ga

 Thanks for all the good advice!  It was a shock when I first saw it, but that is why I do check my account daily.  "Can't trust nobody no more."

You got that right!  I had used my card at Petco and Kroger the same day the fraudulent charges were done, and I had no problems with my card being declined or anything.  That was on Friday evening.  Wachovia called me Saturday morning.  Those folks had quite a spending spree on Friday night!

Oh, and as far as the spending limit thing goes, I was curious about that, too.  After Christmas, I had gotten a bunch of $$ from my family, and went to Sears to buy a new stove with the money.  We had a gift card for $300, and the remaining $350 I was going to use my debit card to pay.  It was declined because I had a single-purchase limit of $300.  So, I had to pay with a check.  Got a call about 5 minutes after we left the store from the bank, and I told them it was a valid purchase attempt, so they took the hold off my account that they had placed on it.  But then when the thieves stole my number, one of the purchases they made was for over $500 at an electronics store, and that was allowed to go through.  I still don't understand how that happened.  I never told them to increase the allowed single purchase amount on my card.  Very strange.

luvmyswissy

However, the signature side of your Debit card is usually around 1500.00 to 2000.00 per day

Thanks Marty. By signature side, do you mean when using the card to purchase as opposed to a cash withdrawl? The money was actually all cash withdrawls, three separate transactions, made within minutes of each other from the same machine. The next month I actually tested my debit card and intentionally tried to withdraw more cash than was in my account. Denied!

 I had my cards stolen a few years ago. I knew it because my stuff was missing, but I was able to check online to see if they had been used. By the time the police showed up at my door, I had cancelled the cards, and knew where they had been used. The police were able to go to the supermarket where they had been used, get the surveillance tape, and catch the people who did it.                                                                                                                                      

By signature side means when you swipe and sign your name (and now a days you don't even have to do that if its under X $$) - usually mechants and restraunts.  ATMs require a pin and if you purchase at a store using a pin - that's considered "pin side".  The banks set up two different limits - one for pinned and one for signature.  They get paided (the banks) from the merchant evertime you "sign" a purchase and its a % of the sales amount so most banks want you to spend and sign.  If you use a pin, the ATM owner gets the cash not the bank owning your card and accouts.

This stuff can get complicated but there are also "online" and "offline" limits.  If the bank can access there records (your balances) for some reason they will consider the purchase "offline" and allow you much less than if they were able to see how much money you have in your account.

And when the banks call you to verify a transaction that is becasue they can tell the spending is out of your "profile" the bank have fraud alert methods that score your transactions based on a profile your spending habits makes.  So..  if you ususually only take $20 a pop at the ATMs and buy grocery and gas and maybe restraunts...  and you primairly shop in NJ and all of a sudden there is a Jewerly purchase for 2000.00 in NY bells and whistles go off...    the transaction is flaged very high (never denied) but every subsequent transaction is monitored and watched or maybe shut off from making more purchases until they can contact you and see it was you making the purchase.  It would depend on the bank and how they would want to handle that kind of alert.  Unfortunitly they can't turndown "that" transaction if all else checks out and the money is there, lets face it - maybe your husband was buying a present for you?? 

Enough of that!!  Ewh..  work!

griffinej5

 I had my cards stolen a few years ago. I knew it because my stuff was missing, but I was able to check online to see if they had been used. By the time the police showed up at my door, I had cancelled the cards, and knew where they had been used. The police were able to go to the supermarket where they had been used, get the surveillance tape, and catch the people who did it.                                                                                                                                      

When I first started in the industry 25 years ago, there was a bank who caught two teenages steeling an ATM.  Yes, stealing it!!  ATMs aren't just heavy "they are safes" they are more than heavy.  These kids tied a chain around it and to the back of there truck and proceed to pull it off the decking onto the street and down the street a little bit before the chain broke ATM stopped moving and they kept going.  Funny thing is it was all on tape at the bank, their license plate number and both their handsome faces!

 No,  I did not know the people who stole my stuff. However, they had previous records. They had used my card at a gas station also, which apparently, gets hit often with stoled cards. They will never give up their video though the police said. I was able to give the police the exact amount purchased, because I got my records online. I guess the store found the purchase, based on the time range and the amount, because they found that it was done on a self checkout. The more info you can give, the better.

griffinej5

  I guess the store found the purchase, based on the time range and the amount, because they found that it was done on a self checkout. 

That's really weird.  Personally I avoid self checkouts like the plague (too high tech for me ) but I always figured the one thing you would need to use one is the pin number associated with the card.

Joyce