Recent Best Buy Purchase leads to Identity theft?

fivetalents said:   Some REALLY major big name companies have had their websites hacked and critical customer information stolen over the past year or two. That's why I only use virtual credit card numbers (with the purchase limit capped at the amount I'm spending and an expiration date for the next month) when I shop online. Sorry that happened to you and thanks for the heads up (even though I tried to get that deal and missed it ).

The problem with VCC is that some retailers insist on checking the credit card used for purchase at pickup time (and some are specifically prohibit use of virtual cards for pick-up orders)

Not online but years ago a colleague I worked with applied in-store for a BB credit card. A few days later they had unauthorized charges on this new card. Could be an inside job depending on what access those employees have to cc information. One would think it would be protected but who knows.

pending charges will go away. similar thing happened to me before. i dont know how this could happen. i called cc and they asked me to wait till it is posted. they just went away in a couple days.

michaelm69 said:   I recently purchased (Online) the Logitech remote from Bestbuy during the $49 deal mistake. Everything went smooth and I have the item.

However, yesterday I noticed that my credit card (I rarely use this card) had 6 attempted charges from bestbuy for some video game stuff. I dont even own a Video game console. I thought it might be a billing error until I got a call from my CC company this morning saying that they had tried to authorize charges again but declined them.

I think somehow my info was compromised from Bestbuy's side

No, I dont have a virus
No, I didn't click on a Link from a foreign site.
No, I didn't lose my card

***Just want to warn others and also see if anyone else had a similar issue.

thanks

How do you know it's for video game stuff?

All credit card companies pretty much protect and guarentee you from fraudulant charges so you really are not out anything except the inconvenience of getting another card issued. My CC bank will overnight me a new card. With this being said, this same protection may not apply to debit branded credit cards and I don't recommend you use those online. I know I'm not giving up the several hundred dollars a year in credit card rewards by using a virtual card.

fivetalents said:   Some REALLY major big name companies have had their websites hacked and critical customer information stolen over the past year or two. That's why I only use virtual credit card numbers (with the purchase limit capped at the amount I'm spending and an expiration date for the next month) when I shop online. Sorry that happened to you and thanks for the heads up (even though I tried to get that deal and missed it ).

dirtrat said:   All credit card companies pretty much protect and guarentee you from fraudulant charges so you really are not out anything except the inconvenience of getting another card issued. My CC bank will overnight me a new card. With this being said, this same protection may not apply to debit branded credit cards and I don't recommend you use those online. I know I'm not giving up the several hundred dollars a year in credit card rewards by using a virtual card.


fivetalents said:   Some REALLY major big name companies have had their websites hacked and critical customer information stolen over the past year or two. That's why I only use virtual credit card numbers (with the purchase limit capped at the amount I'm spending and an expiration date for the next month) when I shop online. Sorry that happened to you and thanks for the heads up (even though I tried to get that deal and missed it ).

why be out $50 and/or lose time/be inconvenienced? virtual #s are linked to your CC# and you earn the same rewards.

Strange how the OP knows its for video games when such information does not get included in a CC transaction. Something else going on - like his kid brother actually used his card.

michaelm69 said:   vegetation said:   Strange how the OP knows its for video games when such information does not get included in a CC transaction. Something else going on - like his kid brother actually used his card.

I got an email from BB saying that there was a billing issue for an order. I called this morning and gave them the order # provided in their email to me...it came up as a downloadable Playstation3 video game something something. I dont own a video game console, dont have a little brother and my kids are all under 4 years old so doubt they would have been able to do it.

Why so skeptical? Just trying to warn people and see if anyone else had a similar issue.

BTW< sorry for the incorrect name in the title...I should have said Fraud not identity theft....while talking to the BB CSR he mentioned Identity theft and it stuck in my head.
Sorry was using mobile and my phone didn't post the message the first time...

Anyway, it sounds more like someone used your bestbuy credentials to place an order, rather than the credit card itself being compromised...

michaelm69 said:   I think somehow my info was compromised from Bestbuy's side
No, I dont have a virus

How can you be sure you don't have a virus. Just because you do a virus scan and you don't have popups does not mean you don't. I would be more apt to blame someone's personal PC, rather than the entire Best Buy's online shopping servers. Of course big companies get hacked to, but not as often as personal PC's

Banks NEVER use the $50 rule! I've had this happen to me before and was never charged a cent! So having to get virtual CC's all of the time isn't time consuming?

fivetalents said:   dirtrat said:   All credit card companies pretty much protect and guarentee you from fraudulant charges so you really are not out anything except the inconvenience of getting another card issued. My CC bank will overnight me a new card. With this being said, this same protection may not apply to debit branded credit cards and I don't recommend you use those online. I know I'm not giving up the several hundred dollars a year in credit card rewards by using a virtual card.


fivetalents said:   Some REALLY major big name companies have had their websites hacked and critical customer information stolen over the past year or two. That's why I only use virtual credit card numbers (with the purchase limit capped at the amount I'm spending and an expiration date for the next month) when I shop online. Sorry that happened to you and thanks for the heads up (even though I tried to get that deal and missed it ).

why be out $50 and/or lose time/be inconvenienced? virtual #s are linked to your CC# and you earn the same rewards.

dirtrat said:   So having to get virtual CC's all of the time isn't time consuming?

No. With Citi you can download an app, but I just bookmark the link for their online app, log in and specify the amount and expiration date. Then I copy and paste the temporary CC# to the merchant's checkout/payment page. I can also view all the virtual CC#s I've created and which merchants made a charge to that number (including amount and date). I'd never give an online merchant my real CC# because most of them store the numbers without asking for your permission or letting you know... and who knows how many employees or hackers can get access to that database now or in the future. To each his own, but that's what I do for ALL online purchases. I've done most of my shopping online for the last 8 years and have never had a fraudulent charge to any of my virtual CC#s.

fivetalents said:   dirtrat said:   So having to get virtual CC's all of the time isn't time consuming?

No. With Citi you can download an app, but I just bookmark the link for their online app, log in and specify the amount and expiration date. Then I copy and paste the temporary CC# to the merchant's checkout/payment page. I can also view all the virtual CC#s I've created and which merchants made a charge to that number (including amount and date). I'd never give an online merchant my real CC# because most of them store the numbers without asking for your permission or letting you know... and who knows how many employees or hackers can get access to that database now or in the future. To each his own, but that's what I do for ALL online purchases. I've done most of my shopping online for the last 8 years and have never had a fraudulent charge to any of my virtual CC#s.

Retailers, online or otherwise don't need your permission to store your credit card info. In fact, in most states, it is required by law to store such information for a least 3 years after the transaction takes place. Most large retailers go well beyond the minimum and store your transaction information decades. Also if you really believe Citi's or any other merchant bank's virutal account numbers protect your real credit card number from honest merchants then you are delusional. Even if you use a virtual account number when the merchant bank reconciles authorizzations to merhcant payments your real credt card number is provided back to the merchant with the reconcilation and stored not the virtual one. The only protection that virtual account numbers reallly provide is they protect card holders from criminals who get your card number and then attempt to run your card to the limit.

cnIsfg said:   fivetalents said:   dirtrat said:   So having to get virtual CC's all of the time isn't time consuming?

No. With Citi you can download an app, but I just bookmark the link for their online app, log in and specify the amount and expiration date. Then I copy and paste the temporary CC# to the merchant's checkout/payment page. I can also view all the virtual CC#s I've created and which merchants made a charge to that number (including amount and date). I'd never give an online merchant my real CC# because most of them store the numbers without asking for your permission or letting you know... and who knows how many employees or hackers can get access to that database now or in the future. To each his own, but that's what I do for ALL online purchases. I've done most of my shopping online for the last 8 years and have never had a fraudulent charge to any of my virtual CC#s.

Retailers, online or otherwise don't need your permission to store your credit card info. In fact, in most states, it is required by law to store such information for a least 3 years after the transaction takes place. Most large retailers go well beyond the minimum and store your transaction information decades. Also if you really believe Citi's or any other merchant bank's virutal account numbers protect your real credit card number from honest merchants then you are delusional. Even if you use a virtual account number when the merchant bank reconciles authorizzations to merhcant payments your real credt card number is provided back to the merchant with the reconcilation and stored not the virtual one. The only protection that virtual account numbers reallly provide is they protect card holders from criminals who get your card number and then attempt to run your card to the limit.

I'll take any addition protection I can get for my online purchases.

wiredspider said:   http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/BestBuy-Com/Re-Account-Hacked/td-p/...

Interesting...

http://consumerist.com/2012/05/has-your-best-buy-account-been-ha...

It seems there have been multiple instances of folks with credit cards saved on their BB accounts finding out they purchased Playstation Network gift card codes that were sent to a different email address. It looks to me like someone is accessing Best Buy accounts, either through "hacking" or by hacking another account and using the login/PW that is shared with BB. Not identify theft, just using the CC number.

Here is a good one. My credit card was stollen. The person who stole it made a big purchase online and was able to go in the store and pick it up as a guest. Best buy has a policy where " family or guest" can pick up a purchase made online. ID for credit card is not required. Not even a address associated with the card owner was required.