ATM Fraud in Vegas

I am with Visa here in Canada. I had my wallet stolen out of my purse at

the grocery store a couple of years ago. It happened while I was bagging my

groceries. I arrived home & Visa called me within 30 minutes to ask if I had my

card. I told them of course and then checked in my purse & lo & behold NO WALLET.

They put a freeze on my visa account after the thieves put over $1400.00 on it within

half an hour. I certainly wouldn't pay any $9.99 monthly fee to anyone as Visa keeps a

close tab on your account.

Diane

but when I signed up for a different CC, I was notified about that too.
So if someone was to open up a new card in my name ...

Maybe it's just the peace of mind after being scammed. (it's a weird feeling when this happens.)

..... but maybe I should reconsider and cancel that protection thingy ??? .... and put that $$ in a VP machine


Rick

I've read articles saying you should only use ATMs at your bank branches...dont use the ones at grocery stores, gas stations, bars, etc....I guess this is why. ALmost every ATM has video surveilance now so it seems like they could get a picture of the dude using your card...although he's probably smart enough to hide from the camera.

Simple solution to all this. Withdraw money before you leave. Then put a hundred in a dollar VP machine. Hit royal in under 20 minutes and your set for the rest of the trip!



Roulette Man same thing happened to me almost.

Once when I Vegas I went to the ATM to get money and I kept getting a receipt that said funds not avaliable.

I called my bank and gave them my info and they told me that they had been trying to contact me.They thought someone had stolen my card and was using it in Vegas. So they put a block on it. Thankfullt though it was me that used it.

Now before I leave I call them and let them know I am going to Vegas.

It could also be someone you made a transaction with over the phone or internet. I used a new credit card for the first time to renew my drivers license with the NY DMV over the phone. That was the first and only time I had used this card. Within days I got a call from the bank asking if I was charging candy purchases from a store in Colorado.
Uh ............... Nope, not me. They closed the account and sent me a new card.

waiters are notorious for swiping your cards w/ a cloning machine- and selling the numbers in bulk to new cyber outlaws.. it's a business much like the villians who drive around in vans with bolt cutters and steal bicycles in bulk around here.
it's a business. be warned/ be forewarned.. can happen to anyone

I understand how a card can be easily cloned if I give it to a waiter (or an Online Store) - but how the heck did they get my Pin # which would be needed for an ATM withdrawal? That is what scares me.

Anyway - the bank credited all but $50 back to my account pending an investigation. I filed a police report and I should have my new Debit / ATM card (and new Pin #) later today.

Aside from using only ATM's at my bank, I am not sure how I can avoid this from happening to me again.

Actually cc/debit card fraud can occur anytime, even when you don't take out your card. There was something on tv where the guy read your card with a scanner just by passing by you. from there they could use your numbers for purchases.

My brother had a problem in vegas. he just arrived and went to dollar to rent a car. Within an hour of renting the car he was notified that there were a lot of charges being made on his cc. He was in the process of checking into the hotel when he got the call. He didn't use his card anywhere else but at dollar so he knows that the guy probably swiped his cc for the rental and for his own use. The scumbag probably gave my bros cc number to an accomplice so he wouldn't be caught himself. My brother complained to dollar but because there was no proof they didn't do anything. Personally I wish that someone would pulverize the crook and fire him from his job and throw him in jail, but at best I just hope that eventually he got caught with this scam.

as others have said, watch out where you use your card and only use ATM's from reputable places that you know are safe.

If you google I think you can find articles that describe how the atms hijack your atm card, the crooks put something in front of the slot that records your number and pin but there are ways that you are supposed to check to make sure that the ATM is not rigged.

In vegas I don't have a cash problem, I just take out markers at the casino so I don't have to worry about using ATM machines.

Real easy way to stop thieves. either have your cards maxed out, have bad credit, or don't use credit cards. :-)

I think many on this thread are misunderstanding your dilemna. While you can use a debit card like a credit card, you must use your PIN number when taking cash from an ATM. Someone not only got your magnetic information on your card for your account, but also had a device that recorded your PIN as you entered it, or had some kind of surveilance on you (camera, person, etc.) to get the PIN number.

We both have the common denominator of having used an ATM at 7-11. I approached the owner of my 7-11 after the bank canceled my ATM card and told him what the bank told me. He acted innocent and nothing seemed fishy in his behavior.