CentsibleSaver wrote: Joker, do you know if the new chips are helping to negate some of the risk? A gas station near me had a skimmer, but the news didn't specify what type of card was victimized. I've started going inside to my pay my total instead of paying at the pump. I miss the convenience, but the risk isn't worth it to me.

I have never heard of that, but I may be with you going forward. The risk is not worth the convenience.

Joker, do you know if the new chips are helping to negate some of the risk? A gas station near me had a skimmer, but the news didn't specify what type of card was victimized. I've started going inside to my pay my total instead of paying at the pump. I miss the convenience, but the risk isn't worth it to me.

Identity theft happened at a gas station(s) in Albuquerque, NM as well. People started noticing extraneous charges on their cards and when the police finally got around to investigating, they found card skimmers were put inside the gas pumps. Of course, they removed them but just a little too late.

I can't believe that happened in Bethesda. That town is so upscale.

This happened not too far from where I live here in Washington DC (its one of the suburbs). These guys where brazen and just didn't care.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/17113168/detail.html

Would you apply for any credit card that ddn't offer that option? I'm sure hjm331 that the banks are insured so if they take a loss due to fraud they are reimbursed. I'm sure Eric could better explain this...........

I guess we can say that he is no better than the cooking grease thief

Do you think banks will still offer us their "0% liability on all fraudulent charges" promise?

Meya, that is really crazy. I don't think that guy cares about the repairs nor his car as long as he gets wherever he needs to.

Hey, check this out about the guy who was stealing gas from the airports
http://www.ktvu.com/automotive/17048020/detail.html

Its just keeps going people:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/05/card.fraud.charges/index.html

Does anyone remember when it was just a "cash" only society?

We need to start being a lot more careful because as times get harder (which they will get) people become more desperate

Thanks for the info smcc. I read another similar article like this where someone was using the same scanning devices at atm machines outside of banks and 3rd party atm's. This is crazy, I hate to hear things that are going to happen when my kids grow up. Technology was the best thing that ever happen, but it also the worst because it is very easy to create fraud.

You know Kmoney, so will I. Seems like where ever you go in Urban America, your never far away from using your Debit/Credit card to get things done. But with Identity Theft making its mark on society, cash has become essential again.

I guess you go back to the days where yoiu take enough money out for the week and keep your "plastic" transactions limited. Problem is if society takes this route will muggings increase?

Most banks have fraud protection for its card holders and I'm sure the financial powers that be are working around the clock to either solve the Identity theft issue or make its existence as minimal as possible.

Like you said Kmoney, time to start carrying cash again.............

I guess we as a society have become so dependent on Debit/Credit Cards that some of us don't carry cash at all anymore. My father taught me to carry some money because you never know what might happen. But this was before the Smart Phone, the ATM, WiFi, etc.. To actually withdraw cash from an ATM has become archaic. Business that don't have Card Readers in their establishment run the risk of less business to those who do because of the convenience factor.

I know card readers are a cost but I'm assuming the increase in business offsets this.

I know I ran off on a tangent here but what does the Gas Station owner do now, wait for technology to resolve this issue?

I am guilty of that I don't carry a lot of cash on me but I do have my ATM on me. I don't ever want to become a victim of ID and I believe I need to start doing the cash thing a lot more now.