Help! I have been scammed! how did it happen? Now I am scared!!
By Lindalinda
@Lindalinda (4111)
Canada
September 25, 2009 5:39pm CST
Hello my friends,
Please give me your thoughts how this could have happened. I have a Visa Card which I have not used in 3 years. In fact I misplaced it in my house. I know this since I put it aside when it was renewed meaning to activate it but then I forgot and could not find the card in my disorganized clutter. However, every time I go to the bank machine I check the balance in my chequing and savings account and also my "available credit on Visa" Since I have not used the card the available credit is always the same amount. Today when I went through this routine the balance had changed and I found a charge of $1200.00 on this Visa account. At first I thought being old I must have had amnesia and forgot something. But no, I don't have the card and I did not charge anything. I went to the bank and found them very helpful. They told me I had written a cheque and charged the amount to my Visa instead of taking it out of my account. Impossible! So they brought up the cheque which was not one of my printed cheques but someone had used a blank cheque and written in my address, made the cheque payable to some outfit and charged my Visa and signed my name. I did not even know one could do this. I always thought when you wrote a cheque the money had to come out of an account. In any case the signature was not at all like mine. I produced my driver's licence, my health card, my debit card, my Mastercard. The bank employees were quite convinced this was a fraud.
But now I am scared. Obviously there will be an investigation, the card has been invalidated but the perpetrator knows where I live and knew my credit card number. Should I go to the police as well as letting the bank handle it? What do you think?
4 people like this
17 responses
@irisspeedy3xc (64)
• United States
25 Sep 09
Yes you should reported to the police, because if you said you lost the card and if you are sure you misplaced at you home, it has to be someone that visited your house otherwise how would they have gotten the card. what makes no sense is that why the bank would allow that if they notice that the check was written and it didnt look like one of there check, and normally when they do check they are supposed to check for driver license? why didnt the bank do that? you should ask them that, all banks do that, mine does and is just a free checking. But now they know where you live you should be careful and thats why the authorities should be aware, that the person might try to go there or do some more damaged. you has to think exactly, if you did misplaced it in all you clutter, who touches that clutter or who has entered you home? yeah is gonna be hard being that long, but trust me something like that has to be someone you knew and that they knew you had a visa account.
2 people like this
@fruitcakeliz (2639)
• United States
26 Sep 09
they might not ever have entered your home. they easily could have gotten the appropriate information from just looking through your mail.
Just don't want you automaticly getting suspicious of everyone who has been in your house....
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
Thank you both. I did report the incident to the police. They advised me if it is a fraud (which it is) the bank will contact their special fraud department and it will go forward from there. The scary thing is that the bank told me the name of the person who did this but I don't know him. So how did he get a hold of my information.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
1 Oct 09
Absolutely you go to the police. It covers you if there is any comeback and the police may already have some info from someone else who has also been targeted. I don't know how these things work myself but I DO know that the more you can share your story about what happened the better off you are.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
5 Oct 09
Thanks Ms. Tickle. The police was not interested in preparing a police report. They told me since this was a clear case of fraud their fraud investigators would work together with with the investigators of the bank and Visa. I was surprised at that. In the meantime there is good news. The transaction has been reversed and card was cancelled. The nagging fear I have though is that someone who did me harm knows where I live. If and when the perpetrator is caught and punished will he try and harm me again? (yes, it was a guy because the bank told me the name, but I don't know a person by that name) I conveyed my fears to the police. They told me to screen anyone who rings my doorbell and not open it to strangers and not answer any phone calls if I don't recognize the number and name. I do have call display.
2 people like this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
13 Oct 09
You see my point exactly. I cannot move from here however, since I own this apartment. It is a condo. I have had my eye on another place for quite some time but at the moment I cannot afford to sell this one and pay more for the next one. So I am going to do what the police suggested. Thankfully we have a lobby channel and a buzz code. For instance a buzzcode is not your apartment number next to your name on the board but another code. I can view the lobby channel on my TV so I can see who is coming in, however, all of this is not foolproof. That person knows my full address and apartment number, Often people let strangers in the building if they stand right next to the person who opens the outside door of the lobby. So theoretically a person can come right up to my door and knock. I do have a spy eye in the door so I can see who it is. But what if they try to break in? I have installed a chain lock that I can put on from the inside when I am home and at night. All of this is such a worry. The police said to call 911 if someone tries to break in. That's it.
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
5 Oct 09
I think that would make me very worried as well. You don't know who might be watching your apartment to see who comes out but I don't know what you can do. Is it possible to move from that place where you are living? I know it's extreme but you cannot live your life in fear.
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
26 Sep 09
This sounds like someone has been using your card. Fraud case, if I'm right. Not sure...it's best to report to the police, because if you keep quiet, there will be a cause for panic in the future should the bank check with you and you said it's not you making those transactions and they would ask (for instance) why didn't you report to the police then. At least with a report, you can show it to the bank and they will handle the rest. In my opinion (and I think you should ask your family members advice on this too), you should report to the police first, and then tell the bank after that. Get both of them aware of this charge to your card.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I did report it to the police. They did not want to issue a report though. They told me in cases like this the bank and the police handle the whole thing. I also told my son and daughter-in-law about it. They don't think I should be scared. Their opinion is that either someone stole a piece of my mail or a tradesman at one time or another was in my place and took a peice of mail with the information. However, I have had no tradesmen in the house since the spring. This charge was put on my card on Sept. 15. I also don't know the person who supposedly did this. The bank asked me if I knew a person by such and such a name.
1 person likes this
@charlies2805 (777)
•
26 Sep 09
If I were you, I would report the accident to the police, as well as to the bank. If the bank helps me, then I will be (little) relieve. But remembering that perpetrator knows where I live, that will make me think about getting more security at home. It's cyber crime. If you don't use the credit card any longer, just simply go to the bank and request them to stop it ( I read that you've already done that, great).
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
28 Sep 09
I did cancel the credit card.The police is only interested to work with the bank and Visa. What worries me is that the perpetrator knows where I live. Will he try to harm me if he is punished for this crime. Does he live in the same high rise condo and stole a piece of my mail? I checked the board in the lobby for his name. The bank had told me the name of the person who did this. I have never met this person. I did not find his name either on the board but he could live with another person and his name would not show up. This really worries me.
@dmrone (746)
• United States
26 Sep 09
Hi Lindalinda! Yes you should go to the police, and have the contact the bank also. You should explain in detail just what has happened and inform them that the bank is aware of this situation. The police need to have a report filed so that when this person is caught, charges can be brought against them. If you are afraid because this person knows where you live, you also need to tell the police this too. I hope you get this matter settled. Good luck!
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
Did all that. However, the police did not want to issue a report. They told me their fraud department and the bank's fraud department would work on these matters. I told them I was afraid because obviously this person (the bank told me his name, I don't know this person) knows exactly where I live. The police advised me not to open the door to people I don't know and not to answer the phone if I don't recognize the number and name. I have call display, thank heavens. Thanks for your concern.
@asweetie (1187)
• India
26 Sep 09
Hi linda,
This is a case of criminal fraud and you should report this to police. They got special cell to fight the economic frauds. I am sure even some bank emplyee is in it too becuase how else would someone get your details of not only adress but also your card detials and also how does the signature he did on the form matched yours unless someone showed him your signature and he copied it. I think if police would investigate then everything would come out and not only you would get your money back but also can put the person behind bars. 1200 dollars is not a small money that anyone can close his eyes to.
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
Obviously no one checked the signature because it did not resemble mine in the slightest. The bank and the police are investigating this. The bank told me the name of the person who charged this amount. I had never heard this name before and I do not know a person by that name.
@surfette (673)
• United States
30 Sep 09
Everyone here has given good advice and obviously, you have worked with the police and the bank to try to solve this crime. I really feel for you because your privacy and safety have been compromised and that is scary.
I do have a couple of other points to make on this issue. Most of the identity theft is done by someone you know, a friend or relative. Since you can't find this person's name in the directory, it is possible that it is a made up name and it actually is a person that you do know. If that's the case, I would keep an eye on anyone that has been in your home, friend, neighbor or relative.
It annoys me that a blank check with a printed name and address could be cashed so easily. You really should have been given a call by the bank when it was presented to process from your account. Even the company that accepted the check should have been more careful in accepting a non-printed check. I've worked in retail for many years and we would have had a manager verify a check of this amount and forms of identification should have been presented.
Hopefully they will be able to find this person and put your mind at ease. Just be careful and hopefully, this will never happen again.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
30 Sep 09
Thank you so much for this. I can really feel that you understand my worry. I agree with you that the bank was negligent in accepting a cheque with my name and address filled in at the left hand upper corner by hand when it could have been easily verified that I have printed cheques. Also the signature was so different from mine, it was twice as large and tells me that the person had actually never seen my signature. Yes, you are right again, obviously no one asked for identification and yet when I had to prove I was who I was I had to present numerous pieces of identification. The bank also told me to keep an eye on people who had been in my home. I ruled out relatives since they know my signature and likely would have tried to forge it. I ruled out tradesmen who had recently been in my place since I had paid them by cheque, again they would likely have tried to imitate my signature. I live in a High-rise Condo and went to the building manager and asked him if he knew the name the bank had given me. He had never heard of such a person. There is also no such name listed on the board in the lobby. Then again it could have been a madeup name. As I mentioned I checked the local telephone directory, the province wide directory and the Canada wide phone directory. No such person showed up and yet this evil person knows where I live. I know the bank and Visa will give me back this money but the nagging worry is someone whom I do not know did me wrong and if and when they are caught and convicted might try to harm me.
1 person likes this
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
26 Sep 09
This is very serious , you should report to the authority and see what they can do for you yea .
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I did do that but they told me the bank should take over and work directly with the fraud department of the police.
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
7 Mar 10
Six months have passed since you have posted this discussion.
I really hope that you have some answers right now. I did not
have the chance to read all this thread so I will read your comments
after that I have posted my reply here. If I were you I would report
this case to the police. I don't know how it could have happened.
Make sure when you buy online, that you do so from reputable secure
sites only. You can recognise secure sites by two things. A secure site
starts with a https:// and has a lock at the bottom of the screen
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
7 Mar 10
Thank Ron for your good advice. As I mentioned in answer to another responder, the police did not want to get involved. According to them it was the job of the Fraud Department of the Visa people. In the meantime my credit with Visa has been restored and this charge has been taken off the account. I also received the name of the person who did this. I have never met a person by that name, I don't know who he is, he doesn't live in my condo building and I absolutely have no idea how he got a hold of my credit card number, an account that I had not uses in 3 years.
The lingering fear is that the person knows who I am since they know my address also but I don't know who they are.
@nova1945 (1612)
• United States
26 Sep 09
Absolutely report it to the police. This will give you some protection in case of future issues and this particular fraud case itself. Don't just leave it to the bank alone.
What does seem strange to me, though, is the fact that the card is still valid if there has been no activity in 3 years. Normally a credit card issuer will automatically close an account that has no activity within one year, especially if it was not activated when you got the new card.
I also know that there are many ways scammers can get your account number. I have had my debit card charged with fraudulent charges twice and that card has never left my posession. The last one was from the U.K. I don't even know anyone in the U.K. 1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I did report it to the police but they did not want to issue a report. They told me in cases like this their investigators work directly with the bank. I agree with you that it is really strange that the card was still valid when I had not used or validated it. The bank also agreed with me that obviously the signature was not checked. It was so totally different from mine. I could prove this since I showed them my health card, my library car, my driver's licence and more. All with my signature. I agree with you that scammers have many ways to find information. I am scared though because this person whom I do not know filled in my address exactly at the upper left hand corner of the cheque they used, which was not one of my cheques since I have my address printed on my cheques. Does he live in the building? Does he know where to find me if the olice investigate him?
The police told me not to answer the door to unknown persons and not to answer the phone if I don't recognize the number.
@JennyMarie (366)
• United States
26 Sep 09
This just happened to me. Once it was reported to my bank, they took over. It went to the fraud department in the bank and they began investigating where the charge was made from and finally discovered it was my old room mate making charges on my credit card. They have begun an investigation and are going to press charges on her.
I would say you need to report it to the bank that issued the card and then let their fraud department take care of it.
I had to close my account and open another one. It all was a royal pain but the bank was most helpful.
I was totally shocked that someone I had trusted I had lived with for a year had done this too me. It then began to make me wonder what else she had stolen from me in the year I had been living there. I had moved out a few weeks before all these charges were made, so the authorities think she may have done it because she was mad. She is still denying it even though she bought clothes with my card and had it delivered to her boyfriends house. That is just stupid
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
Yes, I am also in shock. The bank agreed with me that obviously the signature was not checked and this was not a typical transaction for me. There should have been a red flag. They were most helpful and told me their fraud department would look after things. I also had to cancel my account and get another one. The bank also told me the name of the person who has my information and did this transaction. I don't know this guy, so that frightens me. Also I checked him out on the internet and in the Canada wide telephone directory. I found nothing about him. So is he unlisted? Does he live in my building with a room mate?
Does he have many names? How did he get my address perfectly and my Visa number of a card which I had not used in three years. All this is a big mystery.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
26 Sep 09
hello Linda
That's a very serious offense, i bet this person knows you and now has taken advantage of your credit card. i suggest you report it to the police and have it investigated. am sure the bank has a CCTV camera that allows to see the person having that transaction. wait?! if they were quite convince, then why did they allow the transactions? i guess there's also fault in their part.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
Yes, the bank admitted that there was negligence on their part also. They are investigating this fraud. They told me the name of the person who committred this fraud. I don't know that person. They showed me the way he signed my name. Obviously he did not know that part because it could not have been more different from mine. So there will be a reversal of the charge and the card has been cancelled.
@sunny68 (1327)
• India
26 Sep 09
you should definitely report it to the police and allow the matter to be investigated the legal way. this time you could prove that you are innocent. maybe next time you are not this lucky. also if you are not using your credit card, it makes more sense to get it canceled.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
28 Sep 09
The matter will be investigated. You are right this time it was easy to proof this was not my signature at all. It was not even close to it so I know the perpetrator had my credit card information and my address but had never seen my signature.
1 person likes this
@malamar (779)
• Canada
26 Sep 09
You must report this to Visa, the bank and the police as soon as possible. Obviously someone has your visa number and is using it illegally. I am very surprised that both Visa and the bank allowed this charge to go through. I don't use my credit card very much, and have had two occasions where the cc company flagged my purchases as "unusual". Both times, it was me using the card, but I always thanked them for your diligence.
I guess the lesson here would be to take better care of important documents, cheques, and credit cards, and don't let them get lost in the clutter. No disrespect toward you intended, it is just that we are living in desperate times. This tends to increase crime like theft, fraud, and so on.
Don't be afraid of an investigation, you haven't committed any crime. I hope this all works out for you, and they find the culprit(s) responsible.
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I did report it to Visa and the bank also the police. I was also surprised a charge like this could go through. The bank admitted to me that obviously nothing was checked. The police told me they would not issue a report. They said in cases like this they work directly with the bank.
One important point that you make and that cannot be stressed enough is that we must take good care of important documents and not let them sink into clutter. In this case I must admit I was negligent not to do this. If I did not want this card I should have cancelled it and destroyed it.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
27 Sep 09
I would just add one more thing to what has already been said. Make sure whenever you get your credit card statements in the mail that you don't just throw them away... SHRED THEM first! It takes very little effort for someone to go through your garbage and find your credit card number and your name, it's on all of your statements. I have a paper shredder that I use but if you don't have one, make sure you tear them all into very thin strips, especially the areas where your name and card number are present. I've gotten to the point that I shred every piece of mail I get with my name on it.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
28 Sep 09
Thank you for this suggestion. Actually I do have a shredder and I am very diligent in shredding things of this nature. It is however possible that I was negligent one day and threw a statement in the garbage by mistake. It makes sense that the person found my credit card number and my name on a statement. I know the person had never seen my signature because when the bank showed me the signature he used to sign my name it was different from mine there was absolutely no resemblance. I also have never met the person. The bank told me his name.
1 person likes this
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
26 Sep 09
Definitely, fill out a police report. If you can, close out your old accounts, and open new ones. Have the bank put a fraud alert on your account. This means that the bank has to contact you before they can approve any big purchases made on your account. I would cancel all credit cards and get new ones, even for the accounts you don't use. Contact Visa and report the fraud directly to them. Make sure to get a copy of your credit report immediately. You can get one free one a year. Contact all three credit reporting companies as soon as possible. It is great that you are checking your account regularly. You might want to start checking things more often just to protect yourself from future fraud.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
28 Sep 09
Thank for your advice. I did try and make a police report. The police told me that their fraud department would be contacted by the bank or Visa and they would work with them. In the meantime if I was scared because the fraudser knew my excact address I should not answer the door to unknown persons and since I have call dispaly I should not answer any calls if I don't know the name or the number. I will follow your advice and get a credit report. The Visa has been cancelled. Yes, you are right I must be more careful and take better care of my affairs.
1 person likes this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
14 Feb 10
HOLY CRAP! I didn't know someone could do this. How would they have gotten your card number if you haven't used it in 3 yrs?
Well, if it has been deactivated, no more charges can be incurred.
Have they removed the charge to you so you do not owe the money?
I didn't know someone could do this. How would they have gotten your card number if you haven't used it in 3 yrs?
Well, if it has been deactivated, no more charges can be incurred.
Have they removed the charge to you so you do not owe the money? @Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
15 Feb 10
Yes, they have removed the charge. I also had to sign a document that the signature was not my signature. To this day I have no idea how this could have happened. I also saw the name of the person who signed. I don't know a person by that name, no one by that name lives in my building. I checked out the name on the internet and cannot see a connection of that person to me. Of course it may also have been a false name.
