Possibly a Warning, Possibly Not

[dumars]

A month and a half ago or so I signed up with Erotic Monkey. On my CC bill was a long list of numbers and letters ending with a country code of "CZ". I believe that stands for Czechoslovakia.

Some weeks later I have 2 charges on my CC bill for $227 each to AIRBNB . . . ? The charges had their own codes ending in "GB" as in Great Britain! Needless to say the charges were bogus!

I have since gotten a refund from AIRBNB but I am HIGHLY suspicious somebody at EM done used my CC. Why EM you ask? Both in Europe and the bogus shortly after the legit AND the only overseas charges I had! I think others need to know that and take precautions against EM. I hate having to spend $60 a year for a debit (money) card, but alas . . . wouldn't have saved me any money (this time) but it would have saved me the grief and the initial scare.

I guess with all the support services of the hobby moving to Europe and Asia we can expect this. Buyer be aware!!!

Back to you!

[ck1942]

You should take up the bogus charges with your credit card company, and since you are reporting them quickly, be absolved, as well. Maybe a max of 50 bucks outta pocket.


And report the issues to EM as well!

[Unique_Carpenter]

Agree with ck about reporting this to EM.

Almost all web sites (as vendors) use credit card processing.
And, credit card companies will cut off vendors quickly if several fraud allegations against vendor surface.
This has nothing to do with what the websites are doing, it's everything to do with combating credit card fraud and vendors are required to assist.

[dumars]

My first call was to my CC Co, where the CC was cancelled and issued another. The second call was to AIRBNB.

I thought of contacting EM but, well, frankly, why? They'd deny it, claim no responsibility, etc. After all it's just a (logical?) suspicion. No proof, per se, at all!

I had the same logical suspicions toward Amazon some years ago when my AMEX card was used fraudulently with another company, not Amazon. I suspected Amazon since I had ONLY used the card 3 times before and ONLY with Amazon. Add to that a article had read some months beforehand where the author claimed he posed as someone else and was able to get his CC number from Amazon customer service.

What would the country code be for a charge to ECCIE? Just curious!

Originally Posted by ck1942

You should take up the bogus charges with your credit card company, and since you are reporting them quickly, be absolved, as well. Maybe a max of 50 bucks outta pocket.


And report the issues to EM as well!

[ck1942]

Not sure how eccie might process a cc.


But, if EM has any internal security, they can definitely track who handled your cc transaction internally, and airbnb should be able to figure out if an airbnb member used it also. CC fraud in great britain might well be easier for the cops to track, too.

[dumars]

At this point the matter is closed in my world. No REAL harm done, got my money back! Let's just hope AIRBNB will pursue the matter. It is money out of their pockets.

Lesson learned is get a pre-paid debit card for overseas stuff! Having the experience(s) I've had over the years I already knew this but too fuck'n brain dead to make it happen. My only point with this string is for others to learn from my fuck up!

GET A PREPAID DEBIT CARD for some things at least!!!

Originally Posted by ck1942

Not sure how eccie might process a cc.

But, if EM has any internal security, they can definitely track who handled your cc transaction internally, and airbnb should be able to figure out if an airbnb member used it also. CC fraud in great britain might well be easier for the cops to track, too.

[Unique_Carpenter]

Originally Posted by ck1942

....But, if EM has any internal security, they can definitely track who handled your cc transaction internally, and airbnb should be able to figure out if an airbnb member used it also....

Correct. At the least they can fire someone. If they leave a security hole open in their procedures, and there's recurring issues, they would risk being terminated by cc outfits, as I mentioned above.

This is bank fraud and federal laws apply. Bank IT guys are hunting this crap every day.

[dumars]

Overseas transactions don't have quite the rules domestic transactions do. That's why it's MUCH more riskier to deal with overseas companies. HELL, I tried to buy some stuff with my MC debit card. My bank would only approve the charge if the notice came before midnight. Problem is, being in Asia, midnight of the same day done came and went with the international date line. At least, that's my theory anyway.

I could tell you other war stories but this is enough.

Originally Posted by Unique_Carpenter

Correct. At the least they can fire someone. If they leave a security hole open in their procedures, and there's recurring issues, they would risk being terminated by cc outfits, as I mentioned above.

This is bank fraud and federal laws apply. Bank IT guys are hunting this crap every day.

[JRLawrence]

Originally Posted by dumars

My first call was to my CC Co, where the CC was cancelled and issued another. The second call was to AIRBNB.

I thought of contacting EM but, well, frankly, why? They'd deny it, claim no responsibility, etc. After all it's just a (logical?) suspicion. No proof, per se, at all!

I had the same logical suspicions toward Amazon some years ago when my AMEX card was used fraudulently with another company, not Amazon. I suspected Amazon since I had ONLY used the card 3 times before and ONLY with Amazon. Add to that a article had read some months beforehand where the author claimed he posed as someone else and was able to get his CC number from Amazon customer service.

What would the country code be for a charge to ECCIE? Just curious!

Step back and take another look at this. You are talking about businesses that you suspect of being the problem. So what if you only used your card at Amazon. That doesn't mean it was the company that was improper.

Think about going to a restaurant and using your credit card as you do several times a week. The waiter takes your card, gives you a charge slip, and writes down the information for you and several dozen other people. He sells the information as a batch at a discount to some guy in another state. They run a few charges, that you don't catch: boom, the card works and there they go.

It happened to me: one card was used at Home Depot for a about $10 and they came back in a few hours to charge over $1000 worth of tools. The credit card company had called me in the time after the first charge, and were able to stop the use from then on.

Lesson learned, keep in touch with your credit card companies and give them your cell phone number so they call call you at any time.

[dumars]

I use the business's name but I do not suspect the business itself as a matter of their policy. I did use Amazon as another example in a comment. Did I suspect Amazon or EM itself? Of course not. Is it or would it be unusual for ANY business to have an employee or employees take advantage of their positions? Unfortunately not!

When you or I or anybody else talk to customer service in ANY business who are we talking to? Jim or Jane of Walmart? Nope, we're talking to Walmart!!!! Jim or Jane gets all the blame or all the praise! Don't they?

By the way, I used to work in customer service for a LARGE corporation! I know how it works!

Originally Posted by JRLawrence

Step back and take another look at this. You are talking about businesses that you suspect of being the problem. So what if you only used your card at Amazon. That doesn't mean it was the company that was improper.

Think about going to a restaurant and using your credit card as you do several times a week. The waiter takes your card, gives you a charge slip, and writes down the information for you and several dozen other people. He sells the information as a batch at a discount to some guy in another state. They run a few charges, that you don't catch: boom, the card works and there they go.

It happened to me: one card was used at Home Depot for a about $10 and they came back in a few hours to charge over $1000 worth of tools. The credit card company had called me in the time after the first charge, and were able to stop the use from then on.

Lesson learned, keep in touch with your credit card companies and give them your cell phone number so they call call you at any time.

[JRLawrence]

Originally Posted by dumars

I use the business's name but I do not suspect the business itself as a matter of their policy. I did use Amazon as another example in a comment. Did I suspect Amazon or EM itself? Of course not. Is it or would it be unusual for ANY business to have an employee or employees take advantage of their positions? Unfortunately not!

When you or I or anybody else talk to customer service in ANY business who are we talking to? Jim or Jane of Walmart? Nope, we're talking to Walmart!!!! Jim or Jane gets all the blame or all the praise! Don't they?

By the way, I used to work in customer service for a LARGE corporation! I know how it works!

We all think that it is a valid comment, and you really seem to know how thing work. I seem to think that an old fashion snail mail letter is better in a case like because it can not be deleted and go away. Documented facts placed in a letter, OK documented email too - I know the world has changed- are always better than conversations.

[yourdesire]

Dumar I have a visa from cash app & American Express through PayPal strictly for things like hotels & on line purchases. I've had to many companies run charges through my bank & spent way to much time on the phone to correct these issues. Now I put only what I need at the time on the cards and no one is able to draw anything from them if there's no $ available. I've had at least 3 occasions in the past 6 mos. where companies tried to pull $ & wasn't able to. I've had places draw funds a day or 2 before I was supposed to cancel subscriptions. Both these cards are free & are accepted by anyone who accepts visa or MC. Good luck to ya.

[dumars]

I've seen "cash app" mentioned elsewhere. Checked out their site. They wanted WAY too much information for a non bank. I still think a pre-paid debit card is the way to go. Always welcome for someone to change my mind though. Crying over $60/yr is petty and frivolous but I can't help it! I'm a frugal son of a bitch!

Originally Posted by yourdesire

Dumar I have a visa from cash app & American Express through PayPal strictly for things like hotels & on line purchases. I've had to many companies run charges through my bank & spent way to much time on the phone to correct these issues. Now I put only what I need at the time on the cards and no one is able to draw anything from them if there's no $ available. I've had at least 3 occasions in the past 6 mos. where companies tried to pull $ & wasn't able to. I've had places draw funds a day or 2 before I was supposed to cancel subscriptions. Both these cards are free & are accepted by anyone who accepts visa or MC. Good luck to ya.