I've had my credit card # compromised twice now....

What company is this? Did they change your CC number? How long have you had this account.


If you haven't had that card for long, I'd cancel the card and save yourself some time wasted on resolving identity fraud. If you've had it for 4+ years, I'd keep it for it's effect on your credit score and don't use it for anything.

The greater problem is that you don't know to what extent their system is compromised and therefore assume that your personal info is compromised along with the CC....your Social Security, DoB, hometown, and personal questions. "Verification questions" should never be used again on any other payment site again. Don't think changing the password from Rockets15 to Rockets16 will help. Change the root word (better yet, don't use any at all). Your favorite listed sports team is the Timberwolves now. Your first car was a Pinto.

Don't meant to freak you out, but you should warrant some caution on your identity, even if it's not your fault. At best, all the hackers want is a free CC to burn. At worst, they want your identity to do even more stuff and destroy your credit and financial well being. That means you have to check your credit report frequently, at least every 2 months. And to do this, you're going to put some pressure on the card company who ****ed things up for you and try to get some free credit reports (not the score, the actual record) to make good on their fault for not protecting your private info. Seriously, they'll refuse but they ****ed up twice already, and even if you have to escalate to a senior manager, it'll be worth it if you get it. If you don't, then they don't give a **** about you or your private info you trusted them with.

If you don't, everyone gets 3 free credit reports a year. Use it to make sure your info isn't changed.

 

Did you CC Company tell you which merchant has their system compromised? I think you have the right to know as the merchant might as well running retail shops as well that you have been frequently visiting.

Apart from the usual "internet" activities you need to aware of, you may want to look into your CC bills and check some of those suspicious merchants, e.g. pubs, night clubs, restaurants, etc. Especially those would swipe your card out of your sight.

 

happened to me twice within a couple of months about 4-5 yrs ago.

First time cc company (mastercard) simply cancelled my card. Really sweet -- I was out of town and suddenly started getting rejected. Not fun. Second time I got a call. There were no fraudulent charges. And I hardly used the card online, nor did I pay my bill online at the time. Both times new cards had new numbers -- so I had the hassle of changing the automatic payments -- but that was about it.

Talking to some people "in the know" they seemed to think it was likely one of the 'third party' bank machines. There was some fraud going on about that time with the machines not directly connected to a bank somehow copying info. A friend involved in bank security said hed never use a machine not directly associated with a bank. Haven't had any problems since, and no further issues with identity theft or the like.

Hopefully it's nothing...

 

There is times when card numbers are stolen when you use your cards in person where an employee swipes the card on a device that stores the information. Could happen anywhere...grocery, bar or when you go eat someplace.

 

I had dinner a few weeks ago at Vic and Anthony's and when I went to pay the bill my card got declined. That was a cool feeling.

I called my bank (Chase) while still sitting at the table and they informed me that they'd put a hold on my account because someone had used it to buy $170 worth of gas in Virginia. I appreciated them doing that, but it would have been nice to know that info before I attempted to use the card at a nice restaurant.

 

Chase has done that to me, too, when I go on vacation and use CCs that I haven't used in a while. It's annoying.

I'm sure you scarred the pretentious server for life.

 

http://www.annualcreditreport.com/

There's one you see on commercials...uhhh freecredreport or something. Avoid it because you get 3 credit reports for free (1 from each agency) and they want you to subscribe and pay them later on.

They'll likely think you're overreacting if you demand free credit reports on the spot. Instead openly voice your concerns about the safety of your private information and build a case where offering a credit report will assuage your concerns of Mastercard being a ****up company that can't protect your financial safety. You'll likely have to elevate this above CSR peon status.