[jenrou]

Bank Security said" What is Scrap Girls, there's a lot of charges from them.....?" I said "no, those are good charges-they are secure." but there were some from Macy's and other places, even Google, that I don't have a clue about. They did a lost stolen on it, just in case, so now I have to order thru the one my husband goes over!!!!!!
I 've used it several places on the internet, so no telling.
Just kidding, he doesn't care.
Since some stores are scanning phones and people can scan your cards if they have a scanner as you walk by, what are to do? Wrap foil around our purse?
Jean

[Becster]

Glad you're getting things under control, though.

[jenrou]

It's the way things are these day, not the first time.
We just have to laugh and go with the flow.

I did think it was funny, "What is ScrapGirls-lots of charges from them." got caught.

jean

[ArizonaAngel]

Too funny about the SG comment! Not so funny about your card being used by someone else. We all need to be so careful! I'm just glad the banks are on top of it now days.

[Ro]

Can't be too careful! When my bank calls me and asks me about stuff, I'm always glad that they are being good stewards!

[jenrou]

I guess I actually started them watching it since I had called to say a couple of small charges weren't mine several weeks ago. Then it was used since then, and the bank had taken it off of my online accoount so I missed them. Today they read off different charges to me. I still will have to look at the statement when it comes in. I'm glad they do follow up on things. Of all times (for me) to have to wait on a new card. haha Sometimes I think it is some kind of computor mistake, since who would use a stolen card for a dollar or two?
Jean

[lorac]

They start out with small charges and they can add up to lots of money. I check my bank statement online everyday, just in case. If I don't recognize a charge, even a $1.00 charge, I call the bank.

[scrappinchar]

My bank asked me about my Scrap Girls charges once. lol

I hope they nab the people messing with your card!

[diannecp]

I was a victim too, last weekend apparently. iTunes hit my debit card for $100, in smaller increments. Sheesh. We will now only use the debit card where we can use a PIN number. Visa for everything else . . . which is a pain in the butt for me; i hate reconciling everything. Weird, scary and frustrating (although we will get credited by the bank, thank goodness). Everyone be careful this holiday season especially!!

[bitzee]

I was also a victim on the 18th of November. What a coincidence--the charges were made online at the APPLE ITUNES STORE in increments of $30, $50, and two $10 charges for a total of $100. My card was never out of my sight as I am rather paranoid about my debit card. I closed the account immediately. To comply with my credit union's fraud policies, I had to file a police report to be reimbursed for the fraudulent charges.

[jenrou]

Actually, I visited the itunes site not long ago-was wondering if I really wanted to do that, but I didn't buy anything.
I don't use this card outside of online things, so it has to be online. Probably will never know, as the bank said.
I can't figure out why Google is charging me every day. ???? what do you buy from Google? I don't have any new services. but then the Macy's use...I guess someone did somehow get it.

Jean

[CRS]

Very scary! I'm glad you have a good attitude towards it! The SG comment is too funny!

[princessrunningfingers]

I just want to add what happened to me. On Friday Dec. 23rd I received my Visa bill, and there were three charges on it to the itunes store, totalling (coincidence, I don't think so) $100. The charges were all made the same day, on Nov. 25th. Itunes will not even check on it for me, even after I told them the charges are not on my itunes account. If at least three SG members have had this happen, just think how many times it has happened in total. Our credit cards are never out of our possession, and we still have both of them. We have filed a complaint with Visa, but it will take them a while to check into it. Doesn't it make you wonder how something like this is happening? I thought I remembered this post, so finally checked on it and found it. I hope these are the only instances with SG members, but if anyone else has had this happen, I'd really like to know. Visa put a stop on my card, and is sending a new one. I won't give the itunes store the new card, that's for sure.

[Cheri T]

We were actually awoken this morning by the fraud prevention services department from our credit card company. The charges were legitimate. Other than being awoken for it, I don't mind, lol. I'm glad they are on top of these things!

[bitzee]

princessrunningfingers, on 26 December 2011 - 10:05 AM, said:

I just want to add what happened to me. On Friday Dec. 23rd I received my Visa bill, and there were three charges on it to the itunes store, totalling (coincidence, I don't think so) $100. The charges were all made the same day, on Nov. 25th. Itunes will not even check on it for me, even after I told them the charges are not on my itunes account. If at least three SG members have had this happen, just think how many times it has happened in total. Our credit cards are never out of our possession, and we still have both of them. We have filed a complaint with Visa, but it will take them a while to check into it. Doesn't it make you wonder how something like this is happening? I thought I remembered this post, so finally checked on it and found it. I hope these are the only instances with SG members, but if anyone else has had this happen, I'd really like to know. Visa put a stop on my card, and is sending a new one. I won't give the itunes store the new card, that's for sure.

Joyce,

The Apple i-Tunes automated line is so frustrating. To make matters worse, I don’t even have an account with i-Tunes, but eventually a customer service representative forwarded my call to someone in their Security Department. The security representative took the information, gave me a case reference number, and deactivated the 3 fraudulent i-Tunes gift cards. I asked many questions pertaining to the charges.

The security person told me that it was an online purchase and that the person making the charges had given all the correct information--full name, address, etc. Apple i-Tunes also had sent a confirmation e-mail for the charges at the time of purchase. He would not give me the e-mail address and would not refund my money. He told me to pursue it with my financial institution.

It worries me that we are all members of Scrap Girls. My credit card is on file for my Scrap Girls Monthly Club. I really hesitate to ask this question, and only ask it out of concern---Is it possible that our SG server security may have been breached?

[bitzee]

Ro, on 26 December 2011 - 11:27 AM, said:

I'm not exactly what you are saying, Joyce. But our data is secure and hasn't been broken into. Whoever is doing that has gotten the number some other way. The fact that a few SG's have had it happen is coincidental, but is not directly related to the Scrap Girls company.

We are not even able to see the whole card number when we manage customer service issues. We see the last four digits and the rest is hidden from even us to protect people.

When you check out, the credit card numbers numbers are passed between the credit card processor via encryption, which means that it is all scrambled. Our server is checked daily by McAfee to ensure that it is PCI compliant (which is a certification from Visa/Mastercard that we are secure enough to get this certification) and it is checked daily to make sure that we don't have vulnerabilities.

Our service is behind a firewall, too.

We are doing everything imaginable to keep everyone's data safe when they are with us.

Ro,

I asked the question about SG security, not Joyce. I did not mean to cause a problem. It just seemed too much to be a coincidence. Scrap Girls is the best place that I do business with and the members and staff are the best. You always go above and beyond. I apologize. bitzee

[Ro]

thanks for the clarification, Bitzee.

About the club... again, the numbers is stored via encyption and in such a way that human eyes can't see the whole number. When we help people, we see a whole mess of X's and then finally, the last four digits - just enough to be able to help you. To get the PCI certification, you have to do it that way. Not every retailer is PCI compliant, although they are supposed to be. You'd be surprised how many retailers either don't know about it or that don't take it seriously.

It is expensive to have the technology right, to pay to keep it current, and to pay to have someone making all of the contant changes that are required. it costs SG thousands of dollars each year to keep our website secure and PCI compliant. We do it because your security while you are here is important to us. We are doing everything we can to keep you secure.

[bitzee]

Thanks, Ro. I really appreciate the extra effort in providing a safe environment for Scrap Girls members.

[princessrunningfingers]

bitzee, on 26 December 2011 - 12:45 PM, said:

Thanks, Ro. I really appreciate the extra effort in providing a safe environment for Scrap Girls members.

Ro, the reason I asked for any members to let me know if this had happened to them was because if I could tell Visa that I knew x no. of people this had happened to, it would strengthen my case against itunes. Thanks for making SG secure. I had to change my credit card on SG because Visa put a block on the one that I was using.

[Ro]

Thanks, Rosemary! I'm so sorry you had that problem with your card. I know it's a pain! I hope you get your money back from the CC company soon.


The same sort of thing happened to us this fall. In our case, it happened because one of the servers at a restaurant we visited in California copied down the card information when they carried the card away to run the bill through. We were told that this is the most common way that the card numbers get taken because it is one of the rare occasions that the card is out of your control.

In our case, my husband had used his debit card at the restaurant! Thankfully, I was inspired to look at our bank account the very day the big $700 charge that person had placed at an online jewelry store was pending. I called the online jewelry website and they were great. The confirmed that my husband or no one at our address had placed a charge. I contacted the bank and they stopped it so everything turned out okay for us. It would have been harder had I not seen the pending charge. We cancelled that debit card and got a new one with a new number. They reminded me to make sure that my husband uses a credit card in these instances because credit card charges that aren't yours are easier to get back than if the money has been taken from a checking account.

He is super-duper-duper careful now and more aware of what he was doing.

[Durin]

Thankful that if a problem ever does arise, SG has actual people to talk to you and help, rather than some of the frustrating automated "customer service" of some companies.

The card I used for itunes has expired, and after reading this, I don't think I will renew it.

[Sara Arell]

Any time I buy anything from the ITunds Store I have to use my password - so far I have had no problmes at all with ITunes.

[princessrunningfingers]

Sara Arell, on 26 December 2011 - 08:40 PM, said:

Any time I buy anything from the ITunds Store I have to use my password - so far I have had no problmes at all with ITunes.

The charges on my card weren't made on my itunes account. And itunes won't give me any information on what account they were charged on. They just told me to file on my credit card, which I had already done.

[jenrou]

Since I started this thread, I would like to say I am not worried about ordering from Scrapgirls, at all. I'm not sure about the banks, but this has happened before; they do a lost stolen on your card, then charge you a fee to get another card. I think anytime you use a card on the internet, especially if you also have your email services open at the same time, you are taking a chance, but that's the price for convenience. We do so much shopping online, and so many sites have some information on you, it's a wonder there's not more theft. So many ways to "catch" your information these days. I "nag" my husband about doing searches with his email account open.
I have changed back to Paypal, but a few years ago someone got into their system too. My son has unlimited downloads from itunes and hasn't had any problems, but I'm not sure I want to use them. I have some free downloads, but don't want to do all the signing up. They probably aren't any worse than anyone else, but they may have someone who isn't trustworthy working for them, as anyone could.
Good luck, everyone.
Jean

[Cheri T]

jenrou, on 26 December 2011 - 11:09 PM, said:

Since I started this thread, I would like to say I am not worried about ordering from Scrapgirls, at all. I'm not sure about the banks, but this has happened before; they do a lost stolen on your card, then charge you a fee to get another card. I think anytime you use a card on the internet, especially if you also have your email services open at the same time, you are taking a chance, but that's the price for convenience. We do so much shopping online, and so many sites have some information on you, it's a wonder there's not more theft. So many ways to "catch" your information these days. I "nag" my husband about doing searches with his email account open.
I have changed back to Paypal, but a few years ago someone got into their system too. My son has unlimited downloads from itunes and hasn't had any problems, but I'm not sure I want to use them. I have some free downloads, but don't want to do all the signing up. They probably aren't any worse than anyone else, but they may have someone who isn't trustworthy working for them, as anyone could.
Good luck, everyone.
Jean

We have had cards compromised over the years (not with itunes, at least not yet...perhaps b/c neither of us shop there/have accounts there) and have NEVER been charged a thing from our credit card companies for them issuing a new card. I would protest that if I were you. And whoever (I think it was Ro) pointed out that credit cards are better for these kinds of purchases than debit cards - NEVER use your debit card unless you are physically at a machine that is asking you for your pin number. Literally the ONLY two places I use my debit card are an ATM where I am depositing or withdrawing, or Aldi which has the machines for my pin number. With credit cards you can protest the charges and have them removed. With debit cards there is only so much your bank can do - b/c the money has ALREADY been removed from your account.

[jenrou]

I did protest the $5.00 charge from my credit union for a replacement card-after the lost stolen action. They said it was a new thing, 5.00 for a replacement card and 2.00 for a pin change! I almost told them to keep the card, but I pay it off every month and it's my petty cash card (ie-Scrapgirls!) so I accepted it. I never use my debit card except at the bank or their machine with my pin, and seldom do that. I use travelers checks often if I travel.
Everything is scanned and tracked these days! We have a large shopping mall that tracks you by your cell phone to see your traffic pattern! I turn mine off.
It's getting a little creepy.
Jean

[Ro]

Wow... I think I'd change my bank if they started charging me money like that. I don't have to pay either kind of fees! Pin number charges could really add up!

[Jo Corne]

I'm with you Ro, the banks down here are starting to not charge for a lot of things as people were getting really angry with them and moving to other institutions.

we have had our card hacked once a few years ago, someone bought something in France...er ... we live in Australia and have not gone to France. The bank was great and reversed the charge immediately.

I have had my paypal acc hacked too... and they were on it lickitysplit.... they stopped the payment, and the vendor who was supposedly paid with my money even emailed me an apology, not that it was his fault so I was most grateful that PayPal was so on the ball.

we go through our credit card statement with a fine tooth comb and don't use our debit card for anything other than bank withdrawal or when I need to put a pin into the machine but I am still on the bank website at least 4-5 times a week just having a lookie.

one can never be too vigilant when it comes to your own money and I am MOST grateful that SG has taken all these precautions to keep our money safe

[anemone1983]

If you're worried about internet security of your card, check your CC company's website to see of they offer "one-time use" numbers. My CitiBank Visa card does, and if I'm buying from a merchant I don't normally deal with, I'll go get a temporary number. They offer an app for your PC that you download and have to authenticate on before getting the number or a web-based app right on their citicards website. The number is totally different from your card has the 3-digit CCV (or whatever it's called) and is attached to your account. However, if it's nabbed in some way, it's only one use so you're limiting your exposure to CC theft online.

Right now, my go-to card is my Delta Amex. They don't have the one-time-card-number service but they are very good about replacing cards and removing charges while they're in dispute. DH and I had some in August this year and had our replacement cards the next day. Some were from Amazon and some were from Steam (a gaming site). Amex has a partnership with Amazon to resolve charges in dispute - those were resolved right away. Steam not-so-much, but Amex removed the charges and investigated. They sent me a letter with an expiration date - if the charges didn't appear after that date, we were in the clear. The date went by, no additional Steam charges, so we're good - until next time! Staying vigilant on your account seems to be the key.

I have no concerns leaving my Amex saved in SG. It's been there for years and I've never suspected any issue. The only problem with saving your card in places you trust is...when you have to get a replacement, you need to remember to go and update the card everywhere!

[Florida granny]

princessrunningfingers, on 26 December 2011 - 01:09 PM, said:

bitzee, on 26 December 2011 - 12:45 PM, said:

Thanks, Ro. I really appreciate the extra effort in providing a safe environment for Scrap Girls members.

Ro, the reason I asked for any members to let me know if this had happened to them was because if I could tell Visa that I knew x no. of people this had happened to, it would strengthen my case against itunes. Thanks for making SG secure. I had to change my credit card on SG because Visa put a block on the one that I was using.

Hi Joyce, I just noticed this thread today and want to let you know that I, too, had my card used by itunes a month or two ago, without my authorization. I had to get a new visa card even though my card had never been out of my possession. So add me to the list!