Holy Crap! Someone stole $1600 from my ATM account! (1 Viewer)

[Marty Christion]

Yesterday I went to get some cash from the ATM, and I was denied. Sure enough, when I checked my account, there were withdrawls each day for the last four days for $400 (the maximum cash withdrawl amount, plus a few bucks for using an out-of-network machine). It drained my main account, and some of my overdraft account.

Each withdrawl was made from different stand-alone ATM machines in cities about 15 miles away. Obviously this guy had a card and my pin number. Since I still have my card, and I've never told my PIN number to anyone, I'm a little upset that this happened. He may have shoulder surfed me at an ATM to get the code, but how would he get a card?

I immediately informed the bank (Wells Fargo), and cancelled my card. But of course my main concern is getting my money back. The operator said they would open an investigation, and it shouldn't take longer than 10 days.

How likely is it that they'll be reimburse me, or will I have to fight? Should I get a police report, or will Wells Fargo take care of it? Basically, I want to know if I should expect the bank to work for me, or against me? Is this a common occurance nowadays?

 

[Holadem]

Sorry buddy, nothing useful to offer. I didn't even know it was possible to raid an account in that fashion without the card. That sucks .

--
H

 

[Jeff Peake]

I think it is very likely you will get your cash back. I know of a couple people this has happened to, and they were both reimbursed within a week or 2.

I would be interested to know how this can happen since you still have your card...let us know if the bank finds out.

 

[Jay H]

I believe you can get magnetic card writers fairly easily blackmarket so the person would simply have to know your PIN and get a way to read the account and whatever info that is on the magnetic strip. Then the thief can simply program the info into the magnetic card writer to a blank stock card and voila...

But then again, what do I know...

Jay

 

[MarkMel]

It's very easy to make a card. In fact, there are probably instructions on how to do so on the Link Removed

I worked in CC fraud for a while, you should see some of the counterfeited cards we collected. The only part that really needs to be copied is the mag stripe.

Your card and pin may have been swiped if you used one of those standalone ATM's that aren't attached to a bank. When you swipe your card, they steal the account info. Some of them record your button presses or have a camera to get your pin.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

There are plenty of machines out there that can create a magnetically striped card. In fact, there was a scam here in Wisconsin not too long ago where a ring of convenience stores were replicating customers credit cards and using them.

All they did was use the credit card transactions that came through the pumps for the day and enter them into a computer and run a blank card through a card programmer.

Getting your pin is a little more tricky. I would say, if you've ever done a pin transaction at a convenience store or some other shop someplace, that would be the first place to look. Otherwise, it'd have to be someone who works with the ATM's or the bank, I would think.

 

[Robbie R]

Someone can copy your card pretty easily.

The most common way is by having your card double swiped when paying by "Debit". The cashier has two card readers behind the counter, one legit, and one fake reader hooked up to a laptop. He/she swipes your card through both readers (they usually pretend that the first swipe did not work) The reader hooked up to the PC copies all the info embedded on the card. The PIN number is usually acquired by a Pin Hole Camera in the ceiling above the cash register. A duplicate card is made with the stolen info and they have your PIN number from the camera image.

The most common place for this to happen is Gas Stations. The best way to protect yourself is NEVER let anyone swipe your card for you and cover up when inputting your PIN #.

 

[ChristopherG]

This is one way thieves can do this:ATM Fraud

 

[Francois Caron]

You don't even need a laptop anymore. The entire device can fit in your hand and record every card that's swiped through it. Something to remember the next time you hand over your card to the waiter...

The bank and credit card companies do have the means to make the cards more theft resistant, but they won't implement them until the total amount defrauded from their customers starts to surpass the cost of all that new technology.

 

[Lynda-Marie]

There was a warning about a year ago on a special news report. A local investigative reporter was talking about how some thieves can collect the magnetic stripe information AND the keystrokes for your PIN by putting some sort of gizmo on an ATM... even a bank's ATM machine, and the average person cannot tell if anything unusual is there. In fact, according to this reporter, even a lot of experts were fooled. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies are highly peeved about this level of fraud, and would love to bust the perpetrators.

Unfortunately, I don't have any links or references. This is just something I recall from watching the news broadcast.

 

[Greg_R]

Marty,
My brother had a similar issue and he got his money back after 3 weeks or so. The bank had to wait for all possible pending withdrawals to clear before they closed the case and send my bro his cash (was ~$1600 as well IIRC).

 

[Pamela]

This happened to me 4 or 5 years ago. Never did figure out how they got my card info. In my case, the person (or persons) used my ATM card info to buy furniture. It took me almost a month, but the bank refunded my money.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Don't worry. The bank will refund your money regardless. My wife is a bank employee and she tells me that a good bank should refund your money within 24-48 hours while they do the investigation.

 

[Art Morales]

This happen to me about a year ago after work one night I stopped and payed at the pump for gas. A week later I was checking my bank account online and noticed alot of small withdraws from the address next to and around the gas station that I used that night. Motels and liquor stores etc.. 40 dollars here 20 there. Called the bank and they had me call the police in that city. Had to fill out alot of paper work but my bank replaced the money in my account while they did there investigation Any way the police got the the guy who was working at the gas station and I keep my money what little I have Since then I've had to replace my bank card twice but its been because of someone breaking into Visa's data base. Goodluck.

 

[Robert_Gaither]

Actually in some cases a group of scammers will own the atm machine and when you slide your card in it copies your information and you convieniently provided the pin by typing it on the keypad (some scammers will give some money as well so not to draw suspiscions). I remember reading this in local paper that it was done in the local mall and thought that it was a brilliant scam.

 

[SteveLa]

This happened to me a few years ago. Really pissed me off. To make things worse, it happened again two weeks later. I think I know which retailer stole my card data. I informed the bank, but they never told me how the investigation turned out. In any case, I got my money back both times. Still a pain in the ass though.

 

[Andrew W]

I don't have an ATM card at my main credit union, just a credit card. I direct deposit $200 every two weeks into another credit union's saving account which I use for ATM. The second credit union has no access to my other account, so I can't be out more than a few hundred if somebody scams me.

But I only use my ATM card to get cash from an ATM at my credit union or other financial institution, never a stand alone and I never use it as a debit card.

 

[Drew Bethel]

I work for Wells...I'm extremely curious as to how this will play out.

 

[Drew Bethel]

Any updates on what happened?

 

[Joe Szott]

Not to thread fart in any way but I always keep this on my desktop JUST IN CASE. Be sure to check on your credit cards and other finances, who know how or how much info this crook got from you.

--------------

>> > A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his
>> > company:
>> > The next time you order checks, omit your first name and have only
>> > your initials and last name put on them. If someone takes your check
>> > book they will not know if you sign your checks with just your
>> > initials or your first name but your bank will know how you sign your
>> > checks.
>> > When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO
>> > NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just
>> > put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of
>> > the number and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes
>> > through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
>> > Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If
>> > you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. Never have
>> > your SS# printed on your checks (DUH!) you can add it if it is
>> > necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
>> > Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both
>> > sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in
>> > your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call
>> > and cancel.
>> > Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my
>> > passport when I travel either here or abroad.
>> > We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in
>> > stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards, etc.
>> > Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my
>> > wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an
>> > expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card,
>> > had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN
>> > number from DMV to
>> > change my driving record information online, and more.
>> > But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this
>> > happens to you or someone you know:
>> > We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But
>> > the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so
>> > you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily.
>> > File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was
>> > stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a
>> > first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
>> > But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never even thought to do
>> > this).
>> > Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to
>> > place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had
>> > never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell
>> > me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name.
>> > The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your
>> > information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to
>> > authorize new credit.
>> > By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the
>> > theft, all the damage had been done.
>> > There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the
>> > thieves'purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the
>> > alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves
>> > threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to
>> > have stopped them in their tracks.
>> >
>> > The numbers are:
>> >
>> > Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
>> > Experian:frowning:formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
>> > Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
>> >
>> > Social Security Administration(fraud line):1-800-269-0271
>> >
>> > Pass this information along. It could really help someone you care
>> > about