Consumerist
scams
Posts Tagged “
Identity
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scams
scams
Watch Out For $9.87 Credit Card Scam From Prophotosland.com
A reader named Megan noticed an unfamiliar charge for $9.87 from prophotosland.com on her WaMu credit card statement, so she began to investigate it. Not only had she never heard of it, but there was no website that domain, and a Google search turns up hit after hit of scam and fraud reports at various websites. It seems to be but one of numerous fronts charging fraudulent $9.87 fees to credit cards. Read Megan's story below and be sure to check out this page for a list of other bogus companies to watch out for.More »
no checks
Certegy Decides Whether Or Not Kmart Will Accept Your Check
S. wrote a check at Kmart earlier this month and it was denied. No reason was given—just "denied." It turns out a separate company, Certegy, made the decision, so S.—who writes, "I've never had a bounced check"—tried to track down someone at Certegy who could tell her what was wrong with her checks.More »
checking id
Retail Management: "We Have To Check ID Or We Get Screwed By Credit Card Companies"
Scott, a member of management for a retail chain, wants to share the other side of the checking-ID debate:Your website continually runs stories about how merchants aren't allowed to ask for ID during a credit transaction. I work on the management team at a nationwide retailer, and credit card fraud occasionally hits our location. Every so often, we are hit with something called a 'retrieval request' from one of the big 4 credit authorization companies (Discover, AMEX, MC, Visa). This means we have 48 hours to provide a legible signed receipt, and video evidence of my staff checking a photo ID to verify the cardholder.More »
identity
Is Someone Impersonating Your Child?
SmartMoney reports on the threat of underage identity theft; 5% of FTC complaints in 2005 were about victims 18 years old or younger. Children are often perfect targets, because they have social security numbers that are largely unused—which means unchecked—until they're old enough to apply for their first job or credit card....shortly after [Kristen Smith's] 16-year-old son started a summer gig at a local car dealership... his new employer conducted a routine background check that returned shocking news: A man living in Phoenix was using his Social Security number. Even more shocking was the discovery by the local police department that there was more than one perpetrator. In 1994, a man from Pennsylvania with a DUI arrest on his record had been using Smith's son's Social Security number as well.More »
chase
Chase Refuses To Cash Check Without Thumbprint
Chase refused to let Ramsey cash his check without a thumbprint, even though he had called and verified that two forms of identification would suffice. The teller insisted that a thumbprint was required by a "rule." How official sounding. Ramsey spoke with Heath, the bank manager.- "Heath informed me that due to the Patriot Act, all negotiable instruments required a fingerprint as proof of my status as a holder in due course."
bank of america
