iTunes and Credit Card Fraud

**clovenhooves** · 04-18-2010, 05:13 PM

(Edit: that should be "Card" in the title!)
I noticed a series of iTunes purchases on my online statement. I don't have an iTunes account, my card wasn't stolen, and the only person living here is me. According to iTunes, it's probably fraud, test purchases in a way. (Apple apparently has been letting that happen for years. Screw Apple and its shitty music.) I told the bank to cancel the card.

I got the card just a few months ago. My guess is that a retail employee got my information. A small online retailer? Fast food place? I'm not suspicious of a doctor's office, Amazon.com, and small local stores I visit regularly. Any idea how to narrow it down? For example, how quickly after skimming are cards usually misused? Provided the customer isn't stupid, can skimming be done in plain view?

**Tonik** · 04-18-2010, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by clovenhooves

can skimming be done in plain view?

http://www.barcodesinc.com/cats/credit-card-readers/

Yes, and very fast.

**86 IROC-Z** · 04-18-2010, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by clovenhooves

Provided the customer isn't stupid, can skimming be done in plain view?

Yes. I saw a surprising video a while back on how quickly a card can be swiped through a skimmer right in front of the customer.

On of the examples showed the waitress getting the card from the customer at the table, "dropping it", and then after picking it up, swiping it though a skimmer attached to her ankle on her way back up.

I'll try an find it, I think it was on YouTube or something.

**raynor139** · 04-18-2010, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by 86 IROC-Z

Yes. I saw a surprising video a while back on how quickly a card can be swiped through a skimmer right in front of the customer.

On of the examples showed the waitress getting the card from the customer at the table, "dropping it", and then after picking it up, swiping it though a skimmer attached to her ankle on her way back up.

I'll try an find it, I think it was on YouTube or something.

Few years ago in one of my IT classes our instructor showed us how easy it was to hack into any major retailer CC database using just a wireless laptop and sitting in the parking lot.

**allbaugh_04** · 04-18-2010, 07:32 PM

I had an extra charge on my card after eating at a restaurant. Called the manager right away. I got a free meal out of that one.

Make sure you check your statements regularly.

**clovenhooves** · 04-18-2010, 08:24 PM

Only a few times did I ever give the card to someone to swipe for me, mostly at a store I trust. It could have happened at a burger place where the guy swiped the card behind the counter.... It could also have been a card skimming device installed at an ATM or gas station. I don't like cops, but this is one time where I ought to talk to the authorities.

**Art99SS** · 04-18-2010, 10:07 PM

I just caught some unauthorized charges on my debit card. I had itunes and some other online blackberry email service and USPS.com. My mom just had the same thing done, with charges from Blizzard.com (WOW) and itunes. I'm pretty sure it was from Monoprice.com, they recently had a message about customer info being taken. Monoprice sent me a free subscription to a credit monitoring service since I had bought from them in when they were hacked.

**86 IROC-Z** · 04-18-2010, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by raynor139

Few years ago in one of my IT classes our instructor showed us how easy it was to hack into any major retailer CC database using just a wireless laptop and sitting in the parking lot.

Doesn't surprise me, most places don't even consider that sort of stuff.

Originally Posted by Art99SS

I just caught some unauthorized charges on my debit card. I had itunes and some other online blackberry email service and USPS.com. My mom just had the same thing done, with charges from Blizzard.com (WOW) and itunes. I'm pretty sure it was from Monoprice.com, they recently had a message about customer info being taken. Monoprice sent me a free subscription to a credit monitoring service since I had bought from them in when they were hacked.

Funny you should mention that, a friend of mine had her credit card stolen and on her statement it showed a WoW subscription payment; she said something along the lines of "Some nerd paid for his world of warcraft on my credit card... if you're going to steal my card, at least buy something cool, jeez"

**allbaugh_04** · 04-19-2010, 06:25 AM

ya monoprice had some issues, but they should be resolved now

**bigrondownhiller** · 04-19-2010, 02:54 PM

I had my info stolen at a bar once. They started the next day. Give the cc company all the info you can so they can try and catch the scum.

**clovenhooves** · 04-19-2010, 08:07 PM

The bank doesn't seem very interested. I am going to visit the police station. Is it significant that the iTunes purchases are listed as debit? Security code (# on back) transactions count as debit? Since that code is not on the magnetic strip, that means either somebody wrote it down or it was generated by a program?

**allbaugh_04** · 04-20-2010, 06:41 AM

The bank doesn't care? That is where you got the debit card right? My bank calls me every now and then to make sure a large purchase was made by me etc. or if it's made across the country they'll call me and make sure i am on vacation etc....that's weird

**JonB** · 04-20-2010, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by clovenhooves

The bank doesn't seem very interested. I am going to visit the police station. Is it significant that the iTunes purchases are listed as debit? Security code (# on back) transactions count as debit? Since that code is not on the magnetic strip, that means either somebody wrote it down or it was generated by a program?

Your bank should handle this and a good bank should refund you the money. I had this happen a few months back. Had four charges for $67 all within minutes of each other from the same place. The company from the little spanish I know was a telephone service in madrid spain. Called the bank they cancelled the card and took it from there they also got my money back to me in about 7 days. Don't know if they ever caught anyone but they seemed at least concerned and took some action.

**clovenhooves** · 04-20-2010, 08:05 AM

It seems like the bank intends to return my money (or else I'd be ranting here). However, I didn't detect much interest in how my card info was obtained.

As for my questions, I just read, "The only thing not included is the three-digit security code on the back of your card, but the representative told me that they can generate those codes on a computer."

**clovenhooves** · 04-22-2010, 07:28 PM

Story over, for now.

I had to find out from the police that the bank uses an affidavit. As though the bank was hoping I'd not find out and therefore not formally ask for my money back. I submitted the document, and the money was quickly returned to me.

Also, identity fraud is rampant. A few people came in with the same problem on my first visit and on my return visit the woman in front of me took up a lot of time with a real horror story about it. As she was leaving, she told me to deal with Equifax so that that won't happen to me. (No, she wasn't hot.) There's a special fraud division that might contact me, though everything I overheard her saying has me doubting the police seriously investigate many cases. I also overheard idiot foreigners who drove unlicensed trying to get vehicles released from impound.