Online parts purchase, credit card fraud

[Ron]

I get all my parts online. I purchase from big companies like Summit, Early Classic Enterprise and small mom & pop outfits too. I call them up, give them my credit card number and order the parts. Latley I've run into some problems and I don't know if my purchasing method is the blame. Last Aug I found that someone was making purchases with my card number. It just happened again this week. I have a VISA card and I was able to fix the problem right away. I want to order some seatbelts from Juliano's but I'm a little gun shy. How do you guys do it? Been thinging about buying everthing through PayPal. What do you think? Thanks

[gringoloco]

PayPal is a safe way to go but a lot of vendors don't use it because of the surcharges. I don't buy anything off eBay from anyone who doesn't accept PayPal.

You should be able to call or, better yet, log into your credit card company's website and get a temporary number issued. This is a one time use number, specifically for this type of purchase and has a set limit on how much can be debited/credited from your account.

So, find out what the total purchase price is, contact you credit card issuer and have a temporary number created for that amount...

Protect yourself! -Chris

PS- Sweet Blazer. I like that color.

[DJB]

never heard of the temp card deal , good to know

[Captkaos]

Wanna hear another one. My business credit card that I purchase ALL of my parts from in on file at all companies. I just call them up and the automatically charge my card. The card NEVER leaves my house as I never use it, and all billing statements are kept in my file cabinet all other info with the number on it is shredded. Well went I left for my wedding in June I came back with over $10,000 worth of charges to my card from some company I have never spoken with or dealt with. They speicalized in Mustangs. They hit my card in $1000, $800, and $1200 charges in a 12 hour period and 3 days later hit it with $2500, by the time my honeymoon was over, it was over $10,000, and I was only gone 9 days. I called the company and told them and they reissued me a new number. I suspect someone from one of my venders stole my card number and ordered this stuff as they are the only ones who have access to my card.

My advise, get a new number issued.

[farside847]

I have a slightly different view on things...

I work for an online retail site that sells entertainment type stuff direct to
consumers - dvds, books, music, etc. (I dont think Im supposed to say the
name on here)

Anyway, we deal with this question alot, and I have seen my fair share of
internet and non-internet fraud. From what I have seen, it is much more
likely for a credit card number to be stolen when used over the phone than
used over the internet. When you place an order on the phone, you are
probably talking to the lowest paid person in the company that has probably
been there the lease amount of time. All they would need to do is work for
a couple of days writing down card numbers and then quit.

But when an order is placed online the card information in encrypted so that
no one can even read the card information even if they got into the database
that holds it. With todays technology, I think is is much safer to order online
than to swipe my card at Home Depot - but I might be a little bios

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by farside847

But when an order is placed online the card information in encrypted so that
no one can even read the card information even if they got into the database
that holds it. With todays technology, I think is is much safer to order online
than to swipe my card at Home Depot - but I might be a little bios

I completely agree. If you order online from me, I never see your card number, EVER.

[RainFade]

ALWAYS use a real credit card not a check card.

Assume any time you use your card via phone or internet it could be stolen.

Log into your credit card companies web site at least weekly and just look at recent and pending charges.

Pull your credit report on a regular basis and see if anyone is securing or attempthing to secure credit in your name.

About a year ago I had several cards and all my personal info stolen from of all places a florist that I used for online ordering... seems they had a weak server hosted by a lame host and oh they kept all my personal info and the card info in an unencrypted database with no policy of purging or even half heartedly encrypting anything.

The ironic part here is that I HATE to physically shop and have purchased almost everything imaginable from the internet since there has been an internet and my info is compromised by the little florist up the street grrrrrr.

Paypal is great, until you run into a dishonest seller then you'll be without your funds for a while and learn that they (paypal/ebay) don't care about you whatsoever just the money.

[Rollie396]

Wasn't there a thread a little while ago discussing how unsafe paypal is?I don't have any expirience with it but someone had a bad one and went to their bank about it.He/she was told by the bank that he/she was crazy for using paypal because it was too easy to steal your info from.

[nowicu812]

I have a regular checking acount for everything else. For online or phone orders I got a free checking account and Visa check card at a bank close to where I work. Didnt order checks for it, just use the card. I only use it to buy things on the phone or internet and use paypal whenever I can. I deposit cash so its availible imeadiatly and spend it that day. Average balance $20. The bank kept asking me to get overdraft protection. I told them "No" and why. #1 If somone were to rip me off the most they could get is the balance in my account for one. #2 if they use the account to do a check and the bank takes it, It Bounces sky high -Not my problem. #4 Can only do credit Charge up to acount balance(usually $20 bucks) or it not my problem. #5 People cant steal whats not thier-( Hight credit limits or overdraft protection). I look worse off than the guy triing to rip me off . Ive made over 90 purchases on ebay and 30 or so to computer parts places and never had a problem. No one has ever felt sorry enough for me to put money in it though.LOL

[chevymaz]

Hackers are good enough now to break into credit card databases so becareful. Also never order from a site unless it is secured.

How to Tell if a Site is Secure


When you connect to a secure webpage, there are a couple of signs that the connection is secure.


In the lower left hand corner of your browser, there is a small icon of a padlock. Normally the padlock is open, on a secure site it will be closed. Click on the lock for more information about the site and it's security.

The address of the site will start with https:// instead of http://. If this is the case, the lock should be showing as closed. If not, you might consider calling the company with your information rather than relying on the security of the website.)

The page itself claims to be secure. Warning: Some sites claim they have a secure order form, when they might not. Usually the first sign (the closed padlock icon) is the best.