Dubai sends its regards

[PioneerODR]

I know I'm new here but I thought I'd share my experience over the last 12 hours......

Last night I went to purchase some cc's and went to the checkout only to be told I had insufficient funds. So I immediately freak out and checked my bank statement. WHAT!???!?! My account had less then $100 left (around 20 back to back withdrawls in 45 mins and my bank didnt think that was suspicious!!??). So I checked my holds and the page lit up with around $2800 for multiple amounts from DUBAI E-GOVERNMENT. W T F!!!!! I called my bank and went though almost 3 hours (2am to 5am) of sorting this mess out. Ultimately my account was credited but heres the state of my own online protection:

1. I'm using a legit copy of norton 360 with daily scans...nothing detected other than ctfmon.exe.

2. I'm using wpa2 encryption.

3. My card info isn't stored on my end of the computer - like the automated form info to check out quicker.

3. I have a routine of purchases and I've added no new vendors.

4. My card is always on me.

To make matters worse I opted to reformat and reinstall my OS b/c norton was picking an invalid signature for ctfmon.exe (the legit copy is used by things like ms office but can be redirected as a KEY LOGGER!). In doing that I forgot to backup my www page settings, contacts, and id/passwords............f**k!!!!

So be careful everyone as this stuff really does happen...............

cheers

[GP012]

Sorry to hear you got hit so bad.

I got hit over the weekend, but was able to catch it before they went berserk. FYI, there was a large payment processing company called Heartland Systems that had their database breached. Luckily, only the numbers, names and expiration dates were stolen, no SSN's, billing addresses or others.

Heartland isn't exactly being very forthcoming with who their merchants are, but a cigar-related site I've purchased beads from once uses them, and I can only assume that's how the scammers got my debit info.

Here's a quick link: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityf...each_may_b.html

[Colt45]

Heartland isn't exactly being very forthcoming with who their merchants are

The last time something like this happened to me, a few years back, I asked the bank specifically - just so I knew not to do business

with the company again, but they declined to give me the info.

Their reasoning being that it may not have been the business itself, but a single employee etc, and it would be unfair to the business.

[PioneerODR]

The last time something like this happened to me, a few years back, I asked the bank specifically - just so I knew not to do business

with the company again, but they declined to give me the info.

Their reasoning being that it may not have been the business itself, but a single employee etc, and it would be unfair to the business.

When I saw it I about had a stroke. I keep envisioning some 13 year old kid 5000 miles away laughing his ass off. The withdrawals were for non-specific amounts. 232.62, 11.65 etc...I wonder what these attempts were actually for but my bank in not so many words said they don't know yet.

[Fatshotbud]

That sucks - hope you get it all ironed out.

Someone stuck me for a large number of women's shoes purchased online.

You should have heard the interrogation they put me through -

[SethG]

Never use your check card for anything, not a lot of people know it but it DOES NOT have the same protections as a credit card and, let's face it, the money is gone while you argue.

Credit cards are different, I don't like racking them up but when something like this happens it's much better laughing it off.

Check cards are like riding a motorcycle with no gear and no helmet. Everyone has the occasional accident but the difference is whether you get up and curse about the squirrel in the road or lie there in a ditch and think "oh god this hurts, try not to move, what happend to me"

[roughrider]

Never use your check card for anything, not a lot of people know it but it DOES NOT have the same protections as a credit card and, let's face it, the money is gone while you argue.

Credit cards are different, I don't like racking them up but when something like this happens it's much better laughing it off.

Check cards are like riding a motorcycle with no gear and no helmet. Everyone has the occasional accident but the difference is whether you get up and curse about the squirrel in the road or lie there in a ditch and think "oh god this hurts, try not to move, what happend to me"

Agreed.