Scammers hit me for $500 - credit card scam heads up

[carvedog]

Just a warning to TGRdom - my cc info was used to hijack about $500 last night. Don't know if it's related to the TGR problems so I am warning and asking all at the same time.

the outfit is called paltalk and they put through 8 transactions in five minutes - the first one was a deposit.

My Mac repair guy says no known spyware has penetrated any Mac OS that he knows of. I did pay my phone bill with that card yesterday but not through any email links just through the normal log in that is bookmarked on my puter.

Anyone else get hit? Heard of these scammer spammers?

Beware, tis the season to get screwed. The bank is refunding money today hopefully.

[splat]

My cc got hit with an online music store scam out of Paris not long ago, but long before the recent shit hit TGR. I check my account online daily and quashed it asap. I don't know how they snag cc numbers online, so I won't even hazard a guess...

[Tuckerman]

The blower on my pellet stove stopped working right around the time of the TGR site had issues, hmmmm.....................


Not saying its related just strange.

[carvedog]

The blower on my pellet stove stopped working right around the time of the TGR site had issues, hmmmm.....................


Not saying its related just strange.

thanks smartass.

I have never had malware warning except during the TGR attacks. I don't fall for phishing scams. Never click links I don't know etc. So I was just sussing it out. I know the OS is not easily breached but I don't know about keystroke logging and other malwares so I am trying to figure it out.

The dishwasher did melt down around that time too.....hmmm.

[Tye 1on]

I have never had malware warning except during the TGR attacks. I don't fall for phishing scams. Never click links I don't know etc. So I was just sussing it out. I know the OS is not easily breached but I don't know about keystroke logging and other malwares so I am trying to figure it out.

The dishwasher did melt down around that time too.....hmmm.

It's worth mentioning. I'll pass it on to the gurus.

Fortunately i don't have a pellet stove, and never use the dishwasher...

[DasBlunt]

what bank?

[pointedem]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystroke_logging

[dumpy]

Did the radio in Strummer's car die too?

[userA]

doing dishes and keeping warm here, but curious about potential fraud nontheless.
be safe tgr
bf

[Nuthon]

It hasn't snowed in Tahoe since this started happening, Have the scammers gotten ahold of my pow. I'd be so pissed if someone stole my pow online.

[carvedog]

I have installed Little Snitch network monitoring and will be changing encryption on the router.

Anyone on a Mac know anything about keystroke logging ( as in a program you are using that is safe and works to detect these) or anything else I need to do to protect the Live chat access from being used to eavesdrop or anything at all?

The card that they used does not usually go out in the community. They got the number from the computer or the phone somehow.

Thanks for the suggestions, support and the nonsense too.

[systemoverblow'd]

The fact their "service" has a disclaimer about stolen CC number and they tell people not to call their CC company would make me pretty worried. This company doesn't sound very legit.

http://support.paltalk.com/CCFraud.html

Paltalk is an international online chat service that accepts online credit card payments for our subscription services.

At times users may use stolen credit card information to pay for Paltalk services. This makes both the owner of the credit card and Paltalk a victim of credit card fraud.

Paltalk will promptly refund any charges to your credit card upon notification within a reasonable time period. Please report all unauthorized charges within 30 to 90 days.

Please DO NOT file a dispute about the charge with your credit card company until you have tried to get a refund directly from Paltalk. We will make every effort to give you a prompt refund for any funds that have been charged to your account. If you file a dispute it can actually delay your refund and cause Paltalk to pay extra 'charge back' fees. Since Paltalk is also a victim, it is in our interest to do everything we can to reduce fraud and issue a prompt refund so that we avoid extra fees and penalties.

If you feel you are the victim of credit card fraud please call our office during normal business hours at 212-520-7000 (select Option #3) for a prompt refund, or use our live help button located below to contact us
You can contact us live or leave a message if an operator is unavailable. Please fill out the parts of the form that apply to the type of payment method used, along with your phone number and email address.

[carvedog]

The fact their "service" has a disclaimer about stolen CC number and they tell people not to call their CC company would make me pretty worried. This company doesn't sound very legit.

http://support.paltalk.com/CCFraud.html

Paltalk is an international online chat service that accepts online credit card payments for our subscription services.

At times users may use stolen credit card information to pay for Paltalk services. This makes both the owner of the credit card and Paltalk a victim of credit card fraud.

Paltalk will promptly refund any charges to your credit card upon notification within a reasonable time period. Please report all unauthorized charges within 30 to 90 days.

Please DO NOT file a dispute about the charge with your credit card company until you have tried to get a refund directly from Paltalk. We will make every effort to give you a prompt refund for any funds that have been charged to your account. If you file a dispute it can actually delay your refund and cause Paltalk to pay extra 'charge back' fees. Since Paltalk is also a victim, it is in our interest to do everything we can to reduce fraud and issue a prompt refund so that we avoid extra fees and penalties.

If you feel you are the victim of credit card fraud please call our office during normal business hours at 212-520-7000 (select Option #3) for a prompt refund, or use our live help button located below to contact us
You can contact us live or leave a message if an operator is unavailable. Please fill out the parts of the form that apply to the type of payment method used, along with your phone number and email address.

Wow - they sound like a total scam outfit. I didn't want to go to their site, what a line of crap. How can they be the victim if they get the money?? It's not like someone gets the HD TV they are buying access to a video chat room or some crap.

Thanks for the overview. Might have to call the AGs office on this one.

[systemoverblow'd]

The phone number they listed for customer service has also been reported for soliciting with intent to steal CC numbers.
http://phonenotes.org/2125207000
http://www.everycall.us/phone-number/1-212-520-7000/

[RShea]

Wonder what the nature of the Chat rooms and if their "chat" services are being used by hackers and scammers to share stolen card info? Or just a popular place to have premium paid chat service for midget porn or something. Total speculation on my part but there are many "services" or underground chat type sites that are a means of distributing the stolen card lists.

There have of course been many different ways to obtain CC info- everything from dishonest employees at a legitimate business (examples like waiter or waitress that uses a handheld skimmer device when they take your card to cash out your bill), ATM and other pay stations like gasoline that they mount a skimmer device to obtain the info...

Of course your card issuer should be involved and the info Systemoverblowd posted quoting from their web site just goes against any reasonable recommendation of making a call to the CC card issuer as the FIRST thing to do so they can cancel the card immediately and issue you a new account number and card.

Wonder how many complaints the NY State Justice Department and local NYC DA etc. has received on the company?

[Danno]

Just a warning to TGRdom - my cc info was used to hijack about $500 last night. Don't know if it's related to the TGR problems so I am warning and asking all at the same time.

the outfit is called paltalk and they put through 8 transactions in five minutes - the first one was a deposit.

My Mac repair guy says no known spyware has penetrated any Mac OS that he knows of. I did pay my phone bill with that card yesterday but not through any email links just through the normal log in that is bookmarked on my puter.

Anyone else get hit? Heard of these scammer spammers?

Beware, tis the season to get screwed. The bank is refunding money today hopefully.

So, was it a credit card that got hit or a debit card? You say cc but your description makes it sound like a debit card. And this type of thing is precisely why it's bad to use debit cards. With a credit card, the bank doesn't have to refund any money, you never pay the bill for the fraudulent charges, and the only possible nuisance is having to get a new card (if it's bad). Otherwise, credit card fraud really isn't a big deal. the banks and visa/mc/amex want you to THINK it's a big deal, because they want your help in preventing fraud because it costs them money. But to the consumer, the risk is very minimal.

[carvedog]

So, was it a credit card that got hit or a debit card? You say cc but your description makes it sound like a debit card. And this type of thing is precisely why it's bad to use debit cards. With a credit card, the bank doesn't have to refund any money, you never pay the bill for the fraudulent charges, and the only possible nuisance is having to get a new card (if it's bad). Otherwise, credit card fraud really isn't a big deal. the banks and visa/mc/amex want you to THINK it's a big deal, because they want your help in preventing fraud because it costs them money. But to the consumer, the risk is very minimal.

you are correct. JONG type error of saying credit for debit. Yes debit. They say I won't have to pay. No chance as it is so obviously fraud.

I just don't know why the DOJ can't shut these fuckers down. Oh that's right they are using their resources to pursue Medical Mary Jane dispensaries.

[jfost]

send me $500 and I'll forward your complaint on to the proper channels.

[Danno]

Yeah, you won't have to "pay", as you get the same protections as a CC. But the problem is that your account is out the money until the bank agrees with you.

Not trying to shit on you, it sucks that this happened and glad it will ultimately work out for you. Just trying to point out a real-life example of why people say that debit cards suck compared to credit cards. Now if only i could convince my fiancee of the same.

[carvedog]

Not trying to shit on you,

No I didn't feel that way at all. In the interest of getting the best feedback in terms of how the scammers can access and abuse ( without lube) I should have been more accurate.

Should been more betta.

[powdork]

It hasn't snowed in Tahoe since this started happening, Have the scammers gotten ahold of my pow. I'd be so pissed if someone stole my pow online.

fucking scammers!!

[andrewjesaitis]

e have of course been many different ways to obtain CC info- everything from dishonest employees at a legitimate business (examples like waiter or waitress that uses a handheld skimmer device when they take your card to cash out your bill), ATM and other pay stations like gasoline that they mount a skimmer device to obtain the info...

If you want to read a really interesting book on the subject, check out Kingpin by Kevin Poulsen-- http://amzn.com/0307588688.

After reading it, I basically came to the conclusion that all you can do is be vigilant about watching your bill and buy from reputable sites, but in all likelihood you cc will still get jacked.

My cc and name/address were stolen a few years ago and used in some ebay scam selling counterfeit servers. That was a pain in the ass to sort out. Thankfully some guy in Louisiana, of all places, called the number that they had used to register the domain that was the front for the company so I found out about it before it got too out of hand.

[skiing-in-jackson]

I know my problem isn't TGR related. Don't want to point the finger there...

But some fucker skimmed my CC from somewhere and racked up $600+ charges... Early season ski orders??? The pizza parlor??? Somewhere??? Wells Fargo investigating... It's a business card and I don't use it often.

I read a story about people putting card skimmers in gas pumps. Is that really true? Just a media filler? We have a gas station staffed by shifty Russians here in JH.

Is something like that- gas station card skimmers- really possible?

[powpig]

I know my problem isn't TGR related. Don't want to point the finger there...

But some fucker skimmed my CC from somewhere and racked up $600+ charges... Early season ski orders??? The pizza parlor??? Somewhere??? Wells Fargo investigating... It's a business card and I don't use it often.

I read a story about people putting card skimmers in gas pumps. Is that really true? Just a media filler? We have a gas station staffed by shifty Russians here in JH.

Is something like that- gas station card skimmers- really possible?

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I have a connection in the industry and will be happy to help you out. Just PM me all your credit card info and I will chase that down for you.

[Flyoverland Captive]

My wife and I have both been hit with bogus charges in the last year. My boss's card was used at a bike shop in Germany to the tune of almost $8000. It's common; all you cna do is watch your bill.

Fuckers.