Be careful Check Debit Cards

BobReeves · Mar 23, 2006

It looks like the little Visa logo on the card might actually mean something. Received a letter from the bank today letting me know they have temporarily credit my account with all the charges pending the outcome of the investigation. It asks if I have contacted the police so am going over to the Broken Arrow police station tomorrow and file a report. This might not turn out as bad as I thought..

Thanks for the suport gang..

Bird · Mar 23, 2006

That sounds a little better, Bob. I, too, have a Visa debit card, but I've never used it for anything except the ATM, and pretty infrequently for that even. We just use credit cards and pay in full every month.

slowrev · Mar 23, 2006

My debit card is protected like a credit card.

slowrev · Mar 23, 2006

My wife just got a new debit card the other day. From what I read someone's online db had been hacked and lots of debit card info stolen. there had been a couple of reports on the news about it recently. One was from Canada.
Had not seen any fraudulent transactions yet though.
Ben

EddieWalker · Mar 23, 2006

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( .... If you use your debit card as a debit card you get charged a fee. But if you use it as a credit card there is no fee... )</font>

Obviously I can't speak for your bank or laws in your state, but my bank here in East Texas does not charge any fees for using my debit card for debit use or credit card purchases.

As far as I know, when I use it as a credit card, it still functions as a debit card and automatically comes out of my savings account. I've never run a monthly balance on it, so I don't know if it's really a credit card or not. Places that don't accept debit cards will accept it as a credit card and it all comes out of me account the same.

I rarely use cash, but use my debit card for just about everything. If I want cash, I can get it from any store when I make my purchase for no additional fees. The only time I'm charged a fee is if I use an ATM from another bank.

Eddie

jwstewar · Mar 24, 2006

Eddie that is exactly how all of my Debit Cards have worked. I've had 4 from 4 different banks/institutions. I currently carry 2 from 2 different institutions. The bank our company owns and the employee's credit union. Both carry the Visa logo.

Back in 2001 our car was broken into and they stole my wife's purse (another story there about how I complained to Lowes not taking care of their employees). Within 15 minutes of her being at work they were trying to use my one debit card to buy cigs. Fortunately it was an account I was about ready to close so it only had a $7 balance and they declined it. They tossed it and moved on to the other debit card and her credit and gas cards. They purchased gas 4 or 5 times several times in several different cities and also made a trip to Kmart to purchase a TV & VCR. Also made a rather large purchase from Sears in Columbus. Total was something like $1500 in 5 hours on the debit card and $35 on the Sunoco gas card. Took a little bit, but we weren't responsible for anything except the $50 deductible to get the car fixed. Huntington bank reimbursed us for all charges and also all bounced check fees. Sunoco also ate the cost of the gas on their credit card..

Worst thing was both our checking and savings accounts were tied to that card. Both were frozen for a couple of weeks or so and all credit cards were cancelled. Litterally add no money and no way to get any. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Felt like a teenager going back to Mom & Dad to borrow money. Since then we leave most credit cards at home in a safe place in case it would happen again. I also had to call the mortgage company and explain to them why our payment would be late. They said they understood and would mark it down. I think all said and done it ended up being 3 weeks late. They didn't charge us a late or report it or anything.

SPIKER · Mar 24, 2006

debit cards ech hate em never use em, I DO use credit cards for just about everything cept fast food and lately you can even do THAT with a 10 buck purchace. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

lots of different ways to scam out the info for debit cards. seen crook using store security cams to read PIN mumbers, while a small recording device was rigged in between the card reader and the main stores system to copy all the info on every card swipped. was really simple devices some battery opperated could be hid inside a coat pocket and swipe the card copies the info. whalla you just bought a croock a new TV and Phone card /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

my old boss had his doughter take his and it was taken from her there was over 3 grand worth of steaks,food drinks licqure gas and electronics on the card with in 2 hrs !!! he was made to pay 50 bucks woth but CC company ate the rest and had to contact stores & several local police depts top confiscate any and all survalance tapes no one was ever found/charged as far as we know though...

anyhow I had some friend in Tulsa OK, way back, Brian K Watts was in Air force with me and his family lived there we were stationed in Whichita KS and went down there on weekends a couipl etimes fun place. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif hope they come through for ya.

mark M