You know that scene in superhero and/or spy movies (and especially in sequels) where the hero and his/her longtime nemesis must begrudgingly band together, if only for one kick-butt scene, to take down a larger foe that could hurt them both? That’s probably the most interesting way to think about today’s announcement from the National Retail Federation. [More]
credit cards
Card Skimmer Discovered On Payment Kiosk In NYC Subway
By 4.11.14
Whenever I’m in New York City and load up a MetroCard at the train station kiosk, I give the card readers extra scrutiny and think to myself, “such a high-volume spot would be a great place to install a skimmer.” My paranoia was justified: earlier this week, the Metropolitan Transit Authority warned the public that they’ve found card skimmers on a few of those very kiosks. [More]
Bank Of America May Pay $800 Million For Questionable Credit Card Add-Ons
By 4.4.14
There’s another big legal bill on the horizon for Bank of America, as reports indicate the bank may soon agree to pay $800 million to settle allegations tied to sketchy add-on services for credit card customers. [More]
More Details Revealed On WEBLEARN Debit/Credit Card Scam
By 3.31.14
Last week, we told you how our banking sources had linked the recent rash of fraudulent debit and credit card charges from a mysterious company listed as WEBLEARN to the scammers behind a similar scheme that had dinged victims’ accounts for bogus $9.84 transactions during the holidays. Some further investigation by those better equipped to do so has turned up more on this link. [More]
Fraudulent WEBLEARN Debit/Credit Card Charges Possibly Linked To Earlier “$9.84” Scam
By 3.28.14
We recently told you about a rash of low-value fraudulent charges attributed to a mysterious company called “WEBLEARN” popping up on credit and debit card statements. Since then, we’ve heard from hundreds of people who’ve been hit with these charges and while we still don’t know where the scammers got the purloined card numbers, the identity of the scammers is now less of a mystery. [More]
Walmart Slaps Visa With $5B Lawsuit For Allegedly Fixing Card Swipe Fees
By 3.28.14
Thought retailers were done fighting credit card companies over those credit and debit card swipe fees? You thought wrong! Or not wrong, because no one can predict the future, but Walmart is steamed up and suing mad at Visa, alleging in a new lawsuit that the card company set ridiculously high card swipe fees. [More]
Check Your Debit, Credit Card Statements For “BLS WebLearn” Scam Transactions
By 3.19.14
A lot of times when someone gets a hold of someone’s credit or debit card info and decides to use it for illicit purposes, the ID thief makes as many charges as possible in a short period of time. But some scammers choose to chisel away at victims’ accounts in the hopes that the crime will go unnoticed. [More]
Card Canceled After Target Data Breach Hit With Fraudulent Charge Anyway
By 3.12.14
The massive holiday season Target data breach is the gift that just keeps on giving consumers more headaches. Replacing a compromised card may not be enough to prevent fraud, it turns out: criminals may still be able to charge purchases to your old account even if you thought it was closed. [More]
Sally Beauty May Be Latest Credit Card Hack Victim
By 3.5.14
The credit card payment system of yet another national retail chain appears to have been violated. This time it’s Sally Beauty, which looks to be the common denominator among a group of recently stolen credit card numbers. [More]
After Target Breach, Banks Are Way Behind In Reissuing New Cards
By 2.25.14
The baddies behind the recent Target payment data breach are selling off card data at fire-sale prices and cranking out cards that can be used in the real world, some of the people whose card numbers were breached have a long wait to get their new cards issued. [More]
Citibank Demands That Hearing-Impaired Customer Call Them, Hangs Up When She Does
By 2.24.14
Kerry has lost her hearing as an adult, and you can’t call her on the phone. This seems pretty self-explanatory, but apparently it isn’t. At least not to Citibank. They want Kerry to call them to verify a suspicious transaction, but hang up on her whenever she calls. [More]
Taxi Driver Allegedly Kidnaps D.C. Council Member’s Daughter After Credit Card Dispute
By 2.20.14
Taxi horror stories are nothing new. There’s the one about the driver who held a customer hostage for refusing his tip demand, and the one where a driver crashed into a home after being unsatisfied with a tip. But what does a driver do when the credit card machine doesn’t work and the customer threatens to report him to the Taxi Cab Commission? He kidnaps the customer, or at least that’s what a Washington, D.C., city council member alleges a taxi driver did to her daughter. [More]
Millions Of Credit Cards Stolen From Target Being Sold At Closeout Prices
By 2.20.14
Like scalpers who drop their asking prices as game time approaches, black market sellers of credit card numbers stolen during last December’s massive data breach at Target are now offering this ill-gotten information at rock-bottom prices. [More]
Visa, MasterCard Endorsement Of Tap-And-Pay Could Replace Your Wallet With A Smartphone
By 2.19.14
We use our smartphones for everything, from taking photos and video to mobile banking. So why not replace your wallet with your phone? That’s a change that could be coming sooner rather than later now that MasterCard and Visa have endorsed a new mobile payment technology. [More]
Capital One Contract Update Gives Company Ability To Visit You At Home
By 2.18.14
Maybe they should change their slogan from “What’s in your wallet?” to “Who’s knocking at your door?” Capital One recently updated its contract for credit card customers, and the new language is giving some cardholders concern that Cap One may just pop in for tea and scones some afternoon. [More]
Visa, MasterCard To End Swipe-And-Sign By 2015
By 2.7.14
Goodbye credit card signatures and hello PIN numbers. In a move that could better protect consumers from massive security breaches, major credit card companies are looking to implement a chip-and-PIN system instead of the tired and true swipe-and-sign method used across the country. [More]
Target HVAC Vendor Provides Info On Connection To Data Breach
By 2.7.14
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the hackers behind the massive breach of Target’s in-store payment system were able to access the retailer’s network through one of its heating, cooling and ventilation vendors. That company is now providing more information about the attack. [More]
Credentials Used For Target Hack Reportedly Stolen From HVAC Vendor
By 2.5.14
When it was first revealed that the hackers who compromised Target’s in-store payment processing system had used stolen vendor credentials to breach the retailer’s network, many probably assumed that the vendor was some sort of IT or security consultant. But a new report from cybersecurity expert and journalist Brian Krebs says it appears that the entry point into the system was through a refrigeration, heating and cooling company in Pennsylvania. [More]
