Heads Up - Stolen Credit Card

[Jeff Hahn]

We just got our monthly credit card bill and it contained fraudulent purchases, so I thought I would give everyone a heads-up. I traced the 6 fraudulent purchases and every one of them was made in St. Louis, MO. 3 of the purchases were for home improvement items and the other 3 were for pizzas. The charges ranged from $86 - $25.

The only two purchases I made the month prior were for lure parts from Jann’s Netcraft and from Lure Parts Online. Both of these orders were placed over the phone, NOT online. Jann’s is in Maumee, Ohio, a significant distance from St. Louis. However, Lure Parts Online is only 1½ hours from St Louis. Although I have no proof, my guess is that my credit card number was stolen by someone at Lure Parts Online. I called LPO and gave them a heads-up, in case this has happened to other customers who have ordered from them, so they could attempt to track any problem employee.

What also irks me is that our credit card company never called to alert us regarding these purchases. Our CC company insists that we inform them of impending travel so that any purchases we make while traveling are approved without a problem. And, I have always called them before we travel. Yet, they failed to inform us of these questionable purchases so we could have canceled the credit card sooner.

[Jeff Hahn]

Making some progress. One of the fraudulent charges was to an appliance company. My wife contacted that company and they told her that the perpetrator ordered a part of an appliance and gave her the address that the part was shipped to. The guy used my name, but an address in St. Louis. We are waiting for a return call from the district manager of one of the pizza chains where they guy placed an order. The district manager believes that she can track down a phone number. We checked three of the fraudulent charges and they were made to pizza shops within 5 minutes of the address that we have. Once I get an address and perhaps a phone number, I will call the local police. I know that I will be told that the $255 in fraudulent credit card charges are not worth the time or effort to investigate. Yet, if this same guy stuck his hand into my open vehicle window and stole $255, the cops would arrest him. But, if this perpetrator is already on the police radar, it might add another charge to a long list and perhaps result in some type of punishment. Even if it doesn't, since I am retired and it's too cold and wet to go fishing, I take this as a challenge maybe a chance to have a little sport with this guy.

So, it appears that this thief lives in St. Louis. There is no telling where or how he got my name and credit card number. There is NO REASON to believe that he obtained either my name or credit card number through Jann's Netcraft or Lure Parts Online. The fact that he lives within 1 1/2 hours of Springfield, IL, where LPO is located, is a simple coincidence. So, you should NOT take the fact that the only other charges last month on my CC, prior to these fraudulent charges, were to Jann's and LPO as an indication that they or one of their employees had anything to do with this whole matter.

[Fishermanbt]

Good for you two being and staying proactive. Hate to hear this.  Been through something kind of like this. A pill head/heroin junky couple busted my car window out and stole my wife's purse hidden under the front seat while on vacation with our kids.  2 credit cards and a check card were used to buy gift cards and fuel within 10min of theft.  Worse yet, the entire contents of the wife's purse ($250 cash, driver's license, work keys, spare car key/house keys, ect) and the high dollar purse itself gone.  Crying wife, crying kids, and a vacation cut short.  I can't tell you how many trash cans and dumpsters I dug through, the amount of pawn shops I called in a 50 mile radius, and walked about 15 miles of a mountain road to no avail.  

Few months later the dope head dirtbags were caught by sheer luck.  After hitting another car a guy mountain biking with a GoPro caught them on film. Being this occurred in a national forest area they got to take a ride to federal prison. About 8 months later a vagrant picking up aluminum cans found the purse over an embankment and turned it in to a visitors center with contents intact minus the cash, cards, and drivers license.  We sent him a thank you card with a reward included for being a decent human being. 

I know it doesn't prevent ID theft real time but get on credit karma and check it monthly to ensure no new accounts are being opened in your name.  Did you ask your bank if they offer free short term credit monitoring? I would also suggest calling the police.  What could it hurt.  Depending on how your local law enforcement is, maybe start there and they may be nice enough to call on your behalf and at least get you a foot in the door to that office.  Best wishes.

[SW Lures]

I would feel the same way Jeff. Don't give them a inch. Sorry it happened and Go get um.

Our bank/card personnel has called us before because of where the cards were being used and the amounts. It was us because each was in different areas of the country. This happens every now and then. The point is the bank was proactive. Which I differently liked.

Dale

[Fatman]

Make sure to file a complaint through this place - IT WORKS.  Doesn't matter whether you file with the Police or not you can file here also.  Internet Crime complaint Center.  

https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

[JRammit]

It's not every day you get an address to someone who stole from you..... How tempting it must be to make that trip and "handle" the problem personally!!!

Just unfortunate the law doesn't allow vigilantly justice... Especially when they won't even make an effort to enforce traditional justice

[pabassman]

I had an issue like this about a year ago. I have a habit of checking my account online at least twice a week. I am in Pa and I saw an odd charge on my card. Items were bought online and shipped to Georgia. I found the company online and contacted them. They were quite helpful. I got a name and address from them. I contacted my CC company and gave them all the info. All costs were reimbursed for me. Yeah I had to waitg a week for a new card but it worked out well. I hope you have the same success.

[Vodkaman]

I had a new cheque book stolen from post. The guy tried to open a new account with a cheque from my account. Unfortunately for him he spelled his home town (Wythenshawe) wrong on the application. The sharp clerk picked up on this and retained my cheque book.

I heard from the police that the guy was arrested. I sent a bunch of flowers to the clerk as I was working overseas at the time. This was one of three crims that I have put in prison over the years - feels good

Good luck.

Dave

[smalljaw]

I had it happen 3 times in 3 years, but each time the CC company notified me of possible fraud and didn't charge me and issues me a new card. I spoke to several theft investigators about this and they told me you can't just go by an address that items are sent to. A lot of these thieves case neighborhoods for weeks learning what time UPS, FED EX, and the post office usually deliver and then they watch to see which places have nobody home. They will have items shipped to these residences and then simply drive up and take the package off the porch while the person who lives there never even knows it happened. They are normally in poor communities with few, if any surveillance cameras.  

[Curt - NC]

It's amazing when you consider all of the effort these kinds of people put into stealing from other people.

If they would put half of that effort into doing legitimate work they would do well. But then again that might mean that they have to work for someone else, instead of doing what they want, when they want. 

[Vodkaman]

From my experience; we are not dealing with university graduates here, in fact generally they are very stupid and dim witted people. The only problem for us is the lack of cooperation from; the vendors who have nothing to gain by getting involved, the police whom consider the crime to be a low percentage gain and the banks and credit card companies who again, have little to gain.

Some credit companies behave very honorably. Another crime against me was a VISA fraud. VISA covered ALL my losses and took the 'hit' themselves.

One day, vendors will realize that it is in their long term interest to cooperate, laws will change to facilitate this exchange of sales information. A business opportunity will arise in the private sector for investigations of these cases, funded by the CC companies, AND, the justice system will start to treat this crime with the gravity that it deserves.

This crime is a lot more common than people realize; Myself, I have suffered two crimes of this nature and I know of at least 6 friends who have suffered the same. To put into perspective; I have suffered two house burglaries, two car thefts and 14 car break-ins. The large number of car break-ins was because I am from Liverpool and was living in Manchester, it was a football thing.

To start the ball rolling; every crime MUST be reported, to the police, the CC companies and the vendors in EVERY incident, no matter how futile the effort seems to be. Nothing will improve until the full magnitude of the problem is highlighted.

Dave

[MT204]

Set a notification alert on your credit card for what ever amount you want. Every time there is  a charge meeting or exceeding the amount  there is a text, e-mail or both sent to you. You then know the instant a charge is made on your account. In most cases I get the alert before I even remove my card from the machine, solves a lot of problems. 

 

[Salty's]

Lets go take a ride....post the address.....A lock in a sock will do wonders to smarten this dirtbag up

 

[rhahn427]

I think thieves should be skinned alive and then drawn and quartered 

 

[mark poulson]

Put them in the basement of a jail with a slab floor.