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Wow. My Pay Pal card was hacked

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Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

What a Monday morning surprise! 

I was working at my computer this morning when a Pay Pal notification came in the email - thanking for me for using my card this morning to the tune of $104.95. 

Wait a minute... I did not! And since I'm in North Idaho, I sure wasn't buying groceries at a store in San Antonio, Texas. 

A fast call to Pay Pal got my card cancelled and the transactions reversed. By this time, the thief had also credit card thief - hackerextracted another $200. 

Right now I'm feeling very thankful that I was sitting right here when that email came in. I was able to take fast action and get this theft nipped in the bud. Had I been away for the day, I might have tried to use my card in town and been turned down. At the rate they were going, my entire balance would have been wiped out within the hour. 

I know, I could have gotten it all back, but once those transactions were finalized, I expect it would have taken 2 or 3 weeks. 

Now I'm just wondering where I used that card that someone was able to get all the information. 

My warning for the day: Watch your accounts! 

 

Image courtesy of freedooom @freedigitalphotos.net

Comments(14)

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Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

Good afternoon Marte,

Hopefully they will be caught. Nice that you did not lose anything.

It is sad we have to so vigilant with credit cards.

Make yourself an astonishing day.

Apr 25, 2016 03:05 AM
Marte Cliff

Raymond E. Camp I'm really curious about what happened next. Did they try to use it again? I think since it was working, they probably did.


Was it flagged as stolen, so a clerk would confiscate the card and somehow detain them? Or was it just rejected so they went on their way? I don't suppose I'll ever know, but wish I could. 

Apr 25, 2016 03:25 AM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

This an ongoing problem that is only getting worse as time moves on

Apr 25, 2016 03:08 AM
Marte Cliff

William Feela Sadly, yes it is. What bothers me most is that the people who are smart enough to be hackers are smart enough to do something useful with their lives. 

Apr 25, 2016 03:26 AM
Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint-Idaho
Sandpoint Realty LLC - Sandpoint, ID
North Idaho Real Estate - 208-255.6227

Marte, glad you caught this before any real damage as you say.  Scary that every bit of our lives are out there to see right now.  Make it a great day knowing you thwarted a theif...if for only a moment.  Mark

Apr 25, 2016 03:57 AM
Marte Cliff

Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint Yes, I probably only did stop him (or her) for a minute. I'm sure my card wasn't singled out, so the thief probably had a dozen more on hand to use if that one "ran dry." 


I wonder if they ever do really "catch" any of these parasites. 

Apr 25, 2016 04:11 AM
Mimi Foster
Falcon Property Company - Colorado Springs, CO
Voted Colorado Springs Best Realtor

There seems to be a lot of that going on lately. I've replaced three cards this past year. Seems there is a 'reader' they're using to take your card to the 'back room' to charge you for whatever purchase you're making (a restaurant, drug store, whatever). They somehow lift the information from the card and you are none the wiser until they start using it. 

The new chip-reader cards are supposed to be harder to hack.

Apr 25, 2016 04:37 AM
Marte Cliff

Mimi Foster I've been trying to think of any time my card has been out of my sight, and I can't think of any. 


My son carries a company card to fuel the trucks for the power line building company he works for, and his card was compromised at a truck stop last year. The crooks have a small "reader" that fits over the card slot at gas pumps and transmits the information to a nearby laptop. 


I might think that had happened, but I don't use that card for fuel. 

Apr 25, 2016 04:55 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

More and more lately when I'm out I've been paying with cash. And I don't have a pay pal account.  I do have a few credit cards, but none paired with bank accounts where they can take money I've got in the bank.

Apr 25, 2016 07:10 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Tammy Lankford I have a Pay Pal account because it's the most convenient way for many of my clients to pay me. A few like to mail checks, but most want to use a credit card. Also, that's how I collect for the prospecting letter sets I sell on line. 

Apr 25, 2016 07:30 AM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

Marte, this stinks and I am so glad that you were right in front of your computer when the email landed in your inbox.

When my parents visited last year, they got a nasty surprise when they returned home. Their credit card info was stolen and used, in Amsterdam! They shopped a little at the mall (probably 3 different stores), bought dinner at 2 different restaurants here and used a BofA ATM once. Just 6 transactions! Scary!

Apr 25, 2016 12:55 PM
Marte Cliff

Andrea Bedard I think we can't know where or when our cards were compromised. It might not have been anything they did while they were visiting, but something long before. 


I was very fortunate that it was my Pay Pal card that was compromised - my other credit cards don't alert me when I use them. 


Some card companies are vigilant. When my son left here to work in Texas for a time, his card company emailed to see if it was really him using the card. Once my other son got a phone call from his card company asking him if he was trying to use the card in some city far away from him. When he said that no, he was at home, they denied the transaction. 


With all that in mind, any time we are traveling we should let our credit card companies know. Otherwise, we might find ourselves in some far off city with our cards denied! 

Apr 25, 2016 01:10 PM
Laura Allen, Lake Tahoe - Truckee Real Estate for Sale TahoeLauraRealEstate.com
Coldwell Banker Realty, Tahoe City, CA (530) 414-1260 - Tahoe City, CA
Tahoe Real Estate Agent Helping Buyers and Sellers

Marte Cliff - Just curious, are you using an RFDI blocking wallet?  If not, consider wrapping your cards and line your purse in heavy tin foil wrap (double, or tripple the material and fold in place ) until you can buy one and get your cards protected.  Chances are you were zapped at a distance.  : (  Glad you caught it in time.   Scarry stuff!

Apr 25, 2016 03:15 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Laura Allen, Lake Tahoe - Truckee Real Estate for Sale www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com That's one possibility I hadn't considered, mainly because I so seldom go anywhere. I've always thought of that as something that happens in crowded places - busy sidewallks, elevators, etc. but I suppose it could happen while waiting in line at the grocery store. 

Apr 25, 2016 04:07 PM
Laura Allen, Lake Tahoe - Truckee Real Estate for Sale TahoeLauraRealEstate.com
Coldwell Banker Realty, Tahoe City, CA (530) 414-1260 - Tahoe City, CA
Tahoe Real Estate Agent Helping Buyers and Sellers

Marte Cliff - Electronically is a likely method.  They can zap you with a near-by cell phone and be as far as 10-15 feet away - store, out to dinner, post office, gas station, any where you and your cards are, you are at risk.  Small town - big city, doesn't matter. QVC and HSN offer RFDI wallets and there are cards, or slip card protectors and all are suppose to work. I use a RFDI wallet and the Stealth card system just because I don't know which one is better. Two different methods.  All are inexpensive.    Let me know if I can help! : )

Apr 25, 2016 04:21 PM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Laura Allen, Lake Tahoe - Truckee Real Estate for Sale www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com I'll look into getting that protection for my whole family. 

Apr 26, 2016 01:50 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Marte - I think we're going to have to monitor our transactions on a very frequent basis. My bank card was just fraudulently used to the tune of $425 - the charge said explorepalmbeach.com, so I went to their website and found a notice that they have been the target of hackers, so I have a lot of company, and at least a good case to dispute the charges. Staying on top of this stuff makes it a lot easier to correct.

Apr 26, 2016 03:36 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Dick Greenberg I think you're right. I have a friend whose husband checks their bank accounts and credit cards every day. I thought that was a little extreme, but maybe not. 

Apr 26, 2016 04:29 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

That is sad and you are right that if they are smart enough to hack, they have skills that could be spent more productively

Apr 27, 2016 12:31 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Ed Silva You know it has to be quite a challenge to figure out how to do what they do. Why not go for a positive challenge? Perhaps because honesty doesn't pay as well. 

Apr 27, 2016 01:51 PM
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