protectionfilms.com credit card fraud

[oldpmaguy]

Hi all,

Just a bit of info - I recieved fraudulent activity of over $1000 USD on my credit card the same day my order of a screen protector from protectionfilms.com cleared.

Fortunately my bank cauht it and denied it (well, actually, the defrauder didn't realize he was charging over my remaining card limit - teehee! So it was denied as a matter of course.

You might want to steer clear of doing business with protectionfilms.com?

Has anyone else experienced anything similar after doing buniness with them? Maybe you should check your CC records?

[hartti]

Might or might not be related.
You credit card number could have been stolen through some other entity much earlier and only take in to use on that day (potentially by someone who bought the number from someone who got the number from someone...you get the point...).

Hartti

[oldpmaguy]

True, but I see more than coincidence there, I'm afraid.

[ndi]

Did you file a complaint with the bank? They know who requested the debt operation (you need to be a registered sales client with the card supplier). This would give you an idea what happened. Also, such a complaint could force the offending (so to speak - they have no fault) reseller/retailer to publish whatever contact details they have to the bank. Refusal would mean that the bank can go through the police (you or the bank will need to file a complaint). That would give the police necessary data to locate the offender and take measures.

Note that police works with various degrees of efficiency in different countries (you may want to update your profile with location), but banks typically at least call the reseller and smack the upside the head to be more careful and deny further transactions from that person. If attempt was online, then the ISP could give in if you complain with a letter from the bank.

Also, make very, very, very sure you didn't hit reload, you didn't loan the card to your wife or anything like that. Looking like an idiot with the bank, the police and shop manager in the room can be quite disconcerting. :D

[oldpmaguy]

The bank is already looking into it. As to hitting reload, the original purchase was for $12.95 USD. The charge in question was for $1,487USD!

In all my years of using a credit card (25 and counting) I have never had a false charge committed upon me. To think that the very same day that I send my CC info to a tiny shop overseas, I get hit with a spurious charge over one thousand dollars to a vendor named "Luxury GBDH" seems a little more than coincidental.

The shop might not be to blame directly - it could be one of their employees, or someone could be hijacking their data. All the same, it points to their use of my card under any circumstances, regardless of the degree of carelessness and/or dishonesty you would wish to attribute to them.

And, I haven't mentioned, the bank is not holding me acountable for the charge. My bank is BoA, they;ve got some pretty big dogs, I would imagine, and a pretty long reach. I'll be interested to know if they make any criminal charges come of it - they might not even tell me, since I am no longer liable and they've already changed the card number.

[mysticrokks]

erm do you have any proof b4 this statement , you could be hurting an honest business..

but i admit you gotta be carefull- i try and stick to trusted sites even if it costs me 10% more.not oinly less chance of fraud you get better service as well.

[ndi]

erm do you have any proof b4 this statement , you could be hurting an honest business.

The seller has a contract with the bank and this covered by it - no hurting is involved.

Also, oldpmaguy, someone could be hijacking YOUR data - don't dismiss the possibility.

Finally, they are not very likely to press this for such a modest sum - that's not how it works. Hunting someone and passing him/her through the legal system into mush is quite expensive.

The banks long ago realized that prosecuting is more expensive than just cutting their losses. There's insurance for that, either internal or external to the bank, and charges are reversed by the bank replacing the stolen money from the insurance company or own reserves (generally speaking).

In your case no purchase was made, so there is even less incentive.

In your place, I'd contact the store manager and politely explain this. He likely knows nothing and this is a wakeup call. If he's in it then no harm done.

However, experience as people's boss tell me that he's most likely unaware. The card fraud means jail for him, as long with seizure of goods and firing. Few risk this when they manage a store.

[oldpmaguy]

@ mysticcrokks - Well, other than my topic title - which was perhaps too pointed - I only asked a question and made a supposition, however much it seems to me that the conclusion is nearly inevitable. I don't know as I've made a statement as much as I've opened a dialogue into a possibility, and not wantonly, but with cause. As it's been said, it could just be coincidence that it happened on the same day. I did suggest that others check their CC balances, who knows what will come of that request?

@ndi - you make some good points. And I do expect I will contact the shop by email and let them know. As to my data being hijacked, yes, it's a possibility, but I keep a clean machine, to the best of my ability and knowledge. I do a modest amount of online shopping, and again, have never had a mishap before this.

[mysticrokks]

you missunderstand ndi i do not mean telling his bank- he has to and would be stupid not to i mean publishing the companys name on a forum with no proof.

none of us readers are gonna use that site from know on. thats the reality wether there were to blame or not.

also none of us know the poster- (i dont beleive my next statement for a sceond)- but you could be a competitor trying to drag a business down.


my business is marketed online therefore i can see the other side.and if anyone made any cliams without proof i would class it as slander it doesnt matter of other possibilities are mentioned.

[ruskie]

I purchased from them but then I don't have a CC I do wire transfers if I need to.

And protectionfilms as it states on their site:

Online Shop of Bedifol GmbH

So it seems like your data really was stolen by someone/thing else.

And yes I will be doing business with them still. They even sent the parcell before I actually transfered the funds over. I actually got it a day or two after that(and yes this was in December).

Have you tried contacting them about it? They have a contact page.

And I take it this is actually the site we are talking about?
http://www.protectionfilms24.com/

[floffe]

I bought some protection film from there last week (arrived yesterday) and nothing strange has happened to my cc.

[oldpmaguy]

@ mysticrokks - Yes, you speak the logical truth. There still needs to be such a thing as trust (GASP!), even in The Age of the Internet... %^)

Trust with investigation, I should say. I urge anyone who uses/used the site to simply be aware of their CC activity after the fact. I for one did not check, it was my bank that contacted me about it.

And again, to be sure, I have not claimed anything - I have merely suggested the possibility exists. I do believe there is a difference, though I am no lawyer.

@ ruskie - Yes, that is the site. I will contact them today. If anything interesting comes of it, I'll report it here.

[ndi]

you missunderstand ndi[...] i mean publishing the companys name on a forum with no proof.

Oh. True, but OTOH other will (and have I see?) post as well, so perhaps the damage would not be all that great. I hope.