My Stolen Credit Card Story

[edro]

I applied for a Chase Freedom card online.
I received an email a few weeks ago saying that my account was open and I would be receiving the card in the mail any day. I logged onto my Chase account online and saw the account listed.

Move ahead 2 weeks (yesterday) and I received a call from Chase Anti Fraud Department.
After they asked me 100 questions about me and my credit report, they knew it was me.

They asked if I had made purchases in high dollar amounts at Macy's, Macy's, Macy's, Journey Urban Wear, Best Buy, Custom Computer Warehouse, Macy's, some jewelry store, etc. (all these locations were in the bad part of town, Eastland Mall)

I told them that I never received the card in the mail. They said they would take care of it and I will receive a paper in the mail that I need to sign stating that I did not receive the card.

The funny thing is that Chase said they received a payment on this card?!

I guess the thief felt guilty and wanted to pay some on the card.

I'll give an update if anything crazy happens (which I doubt).

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

How did he activate it? I thought you had to call from the phone number on file.

 

[DeadByDawn]

Sounds like a mixup at chase if you ask me. Why would somebody make a payment if they stole it?

 

[Roguestar]

ROFL @ thief paying part of the bill.

Or maybe it's someone legit who was expecting a Chase Freedom card and got yours by mistake; hence why they're making normal-ish purchases (instead of just billing $50,000 to it and disappearing) and then paying some of it off? It could be possible that your card and theirs have been mixed up...

Edit: Gawdam sumbitch beaten by DeadByDawn

 

[Roguestar]

edit != post!

 

[Spineshank]

Thats scary. At least Chase called you.

 

[Safeway]

Wow, that sucks. Maybe the postman misdelivered your mail? To the other side of town?

 

[edro]

That's what I don't understand.

How could they have activated the card if they didn't call from my phone? I ALWAYS have my cellphone on me and it's the only phone I listed on the application and the only phone I have had for ~5 years.

 

[PingSpike]

Maybe they made the minimum payment to keep the card from being canceled? It might have a high limit? I guess that doesn't make sense.

Yeah, I can't figure that one out either.

 

[bubbadu]

Sorry to hear that...

but I had to laugh at Eastland mall HAHA ( i thought they shut that down).... polaris, EASTON or tuttle ftw. I am suprised they didnt go to citycenter, but probaly realized there were no stores down there

 

[jadinolf]

Anyway, you're out of the loop. Good thing.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: edro
That's what I don't understand.

How could they have activated the card if they didn't call from my phone? I ALWAYS have my cellphone on me and it's the only phone I listed on the application and the only phone I have had for ~5 years.

I activated my Chase Freedom card from my gf's phone, I don't think they even asked me to confirm my phone number like some other cc companies do when you call in. I never activate my cards from my phone and never have a problem.

 

[Mrfrog840]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend
How did he activate it? I thought you had to call from the phone number on file.

nope. I got my chase card the other week. Said to call from home phone. Ended up calling from cell phone no problem...

 

[whistleclient]

how did they make a payment? with a money order?

please tell me the idiots were dumb enough to use a check.

 

[drum]

the activation is what has me stumped. has to make you feel yucky though, somewhat like when you car gets broken into

 

[tk149]

There's a chance that you've been scammed. Are you absolutely sure that it was the Chase anti-fraud department that called you? Did they just start asking questions, or did they provide you with any information that established their bona-fides?

This is a known scam. Thieves will call up people and claim to be part of so-and-so's anti-fraud department, and then proceed to ask the victim a ton of questions in order to steal his/her identity. Most people are so shocked that they cooperate completely without asking any questions back.

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: tk149
There's a chance that you've been scammed. Are you absolutely sure that it was the Chase anti-fraud department that called you? Did they just start asking questions, or did they provide you with any information that established their bona-fides?

This is a known scam. Thieves will call up people and claim to be part of so-and-so's anti-fraud department, and then proceed to ask the victim a ton of questions in order to steal his/her identity. Most people are so shocked that they cooperate completely without asking any questions back.

What a wonderful world we live in! :brokenheart:

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: tk149
This is a known scam. Thieves will call up people and claim to be part of so-and-so's anti-fraud department, and then proceed to ask the victim a ton of questions in order to steal his/her identity. Most people are so shocked that they cooperate completely without asking any questions back.

Why would you even give out information to someone that calls you? Tell them that you will call them back at the main phone number for the company and ask what extension you should dial.

 

[MixMasterTang]

Well, I'm sure making a payment can sometimes help them get away the fraudulent purchases. If the payment became past due they would try to get a hold of the OP to ask why the payment is late, and he would ask what payment since he never got the card. This will eventually happen, but I'm sure the person who stole it just wanted to stretch this out as far as possible so it will be harder to go back further and collect information/security video's from the stores.

 

[edro]

I doubt the phone call was a fraud call. It is a 1-800 number. Also, they never asked for a password or really really private info. They were all questions off my credit report... like which of these, if any are you affiliated with. They they would list 3 business names, or 3 previous addresses, etc. Also, one was a random question of what my driver's license says my hair color is.

They said they would send me another card in 3-5 days, and I also logged onto my Chase web account and the "hacked" account isn't there anymore.

 

[flexy]

Originally posted by: tk149
There's a chance that you've been scammed. Are you absolutely sure that it was the Chase anti-fraud department that called you? Did they just start asking questions, or did they provide you with any information that established their bona-fides?

This is a known scam. Thieves will call up people and claim to be part of so-and-so's anti-fraud department, and then proceed to ask the victim a ton of questions in order to steal his/her identity. Most people are so shocked that they cooperate completely without asking any questions back.

i somehow get the warm feeling someone got really PWNED....

This would make perfect sense. AFAIK for activating a card you need to enter your SS..and i wouldnt be surprised if the OP gave the caller all this information.

I hope for the OP he has 100% proof that chase called him.....but....the term "Anti Fraud Department" already sounds fishy to me

 

[edro]

I just got my new card in the mail.

I tried to activate it using my girlfriend's cell phone... AND IT WORKED!

WTF Chase? You can activate a card from ANY phone line?

Great.

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: edro
I just got my new card in the mail.

I tried to activate it using my girlfriend's cell phone... AND IT WORKED!

WTF Chase? You can activate a card from ANY phone line?

Great.

Some dude stole my wife's new card out of the mail box. He presented the card at a store and used that store's phone to activate the card. Apparently having an unactivated card with a woman's name did not arouse the store's suspicions that it wasn't his card. :disgust:

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend
How did he activate it? I thought you had to call from the phone number on file.

In my experience, you just have to call the number, give them the card number and your social....

But that doesen't explain how they activated it still.

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend
How did he activate it? I thought you had to call from the phone number on file.

In my experience, you just have to call the number, give them the card number and your social....
But that doesen't explain how they activated it still.

When I called, all I had to do was input the credit card number and they instantly said "Your card is now active."
"If you would like to choose your personalized PIN, please press 1"
After you press 1, it then asks for the last 4 digits of your Social.

So... you don't have to be the actual owner to activate the card... but you do to choose your PIN.

I can't believe Chase doesn't have larger numbers of fraud.