Off Topic, But Not

I had my wallet stolen last Saturday (not at a park, but a grocery store) and the credit card charges (on multiple cards--including a Bidness Card) started rolling in from all over this town and the internet.

My Advice: Write down EVERYTHING that you carry in your wallet and/or purse...account numbers, numbers to call if missing, season passes, insurance cards, etc. I have several cards but only carry a few. It was a nightmare trying to figure out which ones got stolen and which ones did not. I'm still not sure if I'll get a bill for charges on a card that was paid off months ago, but was still in my wallet.

On a good note, they got the stealer. She has signed a confession, so I *think* I'm in the clear. But the replacement costs and lost work time are considerable. Not to mention the mental/loss of sleep costs. How do you assign value to that?

I am sorry that a mother of 3 decided to rip me off. But I am pressing charges. Each transaction = 1 felony. She is up to 8 felonies, so far.

Now you know why credit card fees are so high.

MrScott

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CARRYING! It will help you if something nasty happens. Trust me, I KNOW.

There are a lot off people with different values around you everyday. Especially at crowded places, like amusement parks. The fricken cashier at a D&W grocery store is the one who got me.

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"If we go any faster, she'll blow apart for sure!"

Sorry you had to endure that Mr. Scott. It is good advice though. I had a similar thing happen to me a few years ago - luckily I had recently emptied it of all but a few "essentials": debit card, license, Blockbuster Card :). Didn't find out they used my Blockbuster card until a month or two later when I got a bill!

Jim

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CP Games 1991-92 (while many of you were still in diapers :) )

Last time I checked you couldn't be liable for more than $50 per account. I've had fraudulent stuff charged before (never did track down how) and I never paid a dime.

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Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

Yes. Most you can be held liable for is $50 per account. Its a really good idea to write down the credit card # and a phone # and any other information, though. Most credit card companies will not hold you liable for anything, though.

Now, if you get your bank account number stolen, you could be in a whole other world of trouble.

Another small piece of advice: Make sure nothing in your wallet has your SS# on it. If the BMV will allow it, don't put it on your driver's licsense. And never carry the actual card with you unless you must.

I try to avoid crowded places except for Cedar Point, all you really need is a debit card and my season pass. I haven't spent more than $30 on each visit with my season pass this year. Last time, I got in the park half an hour early, bought ten dollars worht of stuff in the pagoda, got a free mug, boardwalk fries, lots of pop, and a meal at Silver Dollar.

So you should be safe at Cedar Point with not that much cash on you at all and your way to get into the park. (You might want a driver's license to get onto the go karts at Challenge Park, it's fun).

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Life has it's ups and downs, might as well make it on a coaster!

I don't even take my wallet into the park with me, just my ID, some cash, and a credit card.

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'03 Magnum Crew * magnum count: 2347 * '03 count: 114 * www.dannyjphoto.com

Hey, stuff can happen anywhere, anytime. Not just at CP. Good tips, none the less.

What's really sad is our country seems to be slowly progressing downward with a disconcern for family values and morals. That's what REALLY scares me.
*** This post was edited by MrCoaster 6/26/2003 11:37:45 PM ***

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Last time I checked you couldn't be liable for more than $50 per account.

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Note that, at least recently, this was true of credit cards but not debit cards. There was talk about an industry-wide change to grant the same fraud protection to debit cards, but I haven't been following it.

And, as for "moral decline" in the States---the only time I've had my wallet stolen was in the Munich airport. Thankfully, I didn't lose my ticket or my passport, and I was on my way home. I had to call my wife to come pick me up at the airport to get my car out of the parking garage.

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It's not war, famine, or pestilence; it's only downtime.
*** This post was edited by Brian Noble 6/27/2003 10:42:02 AM ***

What surprises me is a woman able to use a man's charge card. what happened to businesses checking ID before accepting the credit card? Or at the very least checking to make sure the signatures match?

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

OldCPer many stores use a scan yourself credit/debit card thing now a days. The customer busts out their card, swipes and its a done deal. Also, "pay at the pump" gas stations where you swipe outside is another place. This recently happend to my gf and it would be a good idea to write things down!! and yes the credit card companies are very good at working w/ you.

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D/\MN GINA!!!!!!!!

Econ 101:

Im not sure how the whole credit card theft thing works, but how can you prove you didn't make a purchase? I mean I know you don't pay more than $50 if its stolen, but how do you go about proving it. Its a little off topic, kinda, and I dont have a credit card and am just curious..

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Six Flags: The AOL of Theme parks...

There is a certain amount of loss expected in the credit card fee recapture structure. So, if the theft is small enough, the card company more or less just writes it off.

Different card processors do different things. I had someone clone one of my cards once, and had to get a notarized statement saying I didn't charge the item myself. It was a complete hassle; luckily I was a college student at the time with more time than money, so I was willing to go through the hassle. Needless to say, I dropped that credit card soon after, since the service was so poor. Now that I'm pumping 3-5K/month, every month, through my AmEx, I'm guessing that credit union would be glad to have my business back. However, since I use it as a charge card (paid off every month) rather than a credit card, I'm not as lucrative as I could be.

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It's not war, famine, or pestilence; it's only downtime.

I recently, being an employee at Giant Eagle, rang up a very nice man who was from Pittsburg, well, he, not knowing about swiping your own card, gave me his credit card, I noticed that on it, was a small photo of him, after seeing that I thought to myself, why don't more credit card companies do that? Or, why don't the banks who issue debit cards do that? It could cut down a little on credit card fraud...
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"What time does the 10 pm laser show start?"

I was informed today that the company that I work for (who owns one of the cards violated) has decided to not press charges. This disgusts me. It TOTALLY sends the wrong message. I do not understand the legal system. We have a SIGNED CONFESSION and multiple cards used! There is NO reason for a trial so what does the company have to lose? All charges to that account have been credited.

The charges to my account have not.

Good God, this is MADNESS!

MrScott

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"If we go any faster, she'll blow apart for sure!"

A recommendation - rather than writing those numbers down, I just toss all of the cards on a copy machine and press the copy button. Flip them all over and press the button again.

Saves a lot of time transcribing everything (and you KNOW you'll make a mistake on something critical if you do it by hand :-)

For $0.13 (CopyMax) and the time it takes to make 2 copies, you have all the information (including phone numbers, account numbers, etc.) that you need. Keep it in a (very!) safe place - you'll have it if you need it.

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Hey, I heard a rumor that Millenium Force is sinking...
*** This post was edited by Millenium Force is sinking too 6/27/2003 8:59:21 PM ***

Mr. Scott: it is probably cheaper for the card company not to bother. The decision is one of economics, not justice.

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It's not war, famine, or pestilence; it's only downtime.

This just happened to my girlfriend, but she was scammed thru the internet, it was a flase pay-pal email, they charged up only $200 on a $5000 limit card, so i don't think they were pro's or they would have racked up more, If this happens to you forward the email to spoofs@ebay.com they will take care of it, just htought this might help some people since i know some of you guys Ebay. I got the email aswell and it looked like a legit email.

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Ed Markey is my anti-drug.
Rollercoasters have proven to cause brain damage in stupid politicians. DAR-HOOT

trips to CP:6 Dragster:2 MFer:6 Magnum: 13 Running with the bulls for a 15 minutes dragster wait, Must be June!

A note on checking signatures on the back of credit cards...it is supposed to be done but most people behind a cash register either lack training to do this or simply don't give a hoot. One of the neatest things I have ever seen was one time when customer handed me his credit card, I flipped it over to make sure it was signed and in the signature block was hand-written ASK FOR ID. I thought that was pure genious personally.

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This ain't no book you you can close, when the big light hits your eyes. Cropduster-Riot Act-Pearl Jam

I've done that myself, but some establishments (such as the US Post Office) requires that all credit cards are signed. They said this is a bank thing, not a USPS thing. Apparently the card is not valid unless the signature is there.

I have since resorted to signing in fine-tip sharpee and writing over top "Check ID."

Unfortunately, only 1 in about every 20 transactions am I actually asked for ID. I always graciously thank those folks who check.
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- John
I Snap Flyers