Stolen credit card possibly caught on surveillance camera WWYD

[princess barbara]

I live in the northeast and received a phone call from my credit card company asking if I had recently had my nails done at some little podunk nail salon in the middle of nowhere California. to the tune of $121.00 Of course it wasn't me but even though I was in possession of my c.c. someone used the number. The bank canceled my card and reissued another one immediately and I was not liable for any charges.

In talking to the c.c. fraud dept. I asked if they would pursue any leads from the small salon-as maybe the high charge stood out as atypical- but the fraud dept. said if they did that. they would get nothing else done. The guy said they pursue when it's BIG purchases and other special cases.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I wouldn't have her hire a lawyer per se. We get a half hour a year free law consultation.

I was going to have her hire the lawyer to force the store to show her the survellance tape. Probably with the police.

She is out very little money (a $7 McDonald's charge), so yes it's not worth it. But the wallet also contained her social security card. So she has to get fraud watches on all the credit bureaus.

Why do I suggest her do this? To make sure the thief doesn't do this again. She spent most of the past week dealing with police, credit union, credit bureaus, etc. No one should have to do this.

sorry your friend is dealing with this. ..and really, she will be dealing with it for at least the next year, keeping up with her credit reports and watching those FLAGS she placed on her accounts. Unfortunately there are many nasty people out there that are thieves.
As far as what she should do, file that Police report...so there is a paper trail..Not sure why police have not done that, jurisdiction thing is crazy, its where it occurred!
Then move forward and forget about tapes etc...IF there was a string of thefts and IF they were caught a Police report will be filed, and the info is there...unless she thinks she knows WHO stole it??
Hope she has no lasting SSec. issues, what a nightmare, I agree with you!

 

[SUSIEQ]

One of my co-workers had her wallet stolen.

Just out of pure curiousity - how was her wallet stolen? From a desk drawer, a grocery cart, etc?

 

[Lizzybean]

I am so sick and tired of all these BAD people getting away with things. Everyone is who saying to 'drop it'. Shame on you!! These thieves should be caught. Because you know why?? They weren't able to make the purchase this time, but they'll just STEAL someone else's information and try again. Do you know why? Because they can and nothing happens to them when they do.

Those of you who are saying to drop it? What if it's YOUR card information they steal next time? Do you still wish to have suggested to drop it?

When these thieves steal things, it is a total invasion of privacy. Not to mention the inconvenience of having to change everything about your bank account or not having the money.

I am VERY jaded by all this theft and Police not being able to or wanting to do anything about it.

Over Memorial Day weekend we had found out that someone stole our debit card information and wiped out our bank account plus some. It took over two weeks for the bank to even give us our money back based on regulation E. We did contact two different police departments in the cities where the cards were used.

So my advice is to contact the police department in the city with the store was again. Your friend may talk with someone else that may be more helpful in trying to find the THIEF who stole her information.

We have to stop this. It is not okay.

This is not the first time that I had money stolen from me. Unfortunately, I wasn't protected the first time and it's just NOT FAIR. Most of us are very GOOD people and we do not deserve something like this that happens to us.

Sorry for the rant......this is hitting too close to home.

A few years ago our debit card was lifted (DH left his wallet UNLOCKED in a drawer at work while he went to lunch) and our checking account was emptied. Luckily I was clerking at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office at the time at by the end of the business day all the money was replaced. About 2 years later we found out a man was using DH's SS number to work at a McDonalds in a northern suburb.

When the debit card was stolen the thief used it to pay off a bunch of old bills, including a People's Gas bill and a US Cellular bill. Neither company would give me the account info even though they accepted payment from my card. BUT it would be pretty open and shut for the police right? Well, the card was lifted in one county, we lived in one county, and our bank was in another county. So NO ONE wanted to take the report. I forced the police officer in the city we lived in to take it after clearly explaining a crime victim has the right to file a report in the jurisdiction where the crime occurred or where the victim resides.

HOWEVER, they never pursued it and I wasted WAY too much time and energy being upset about it especially since I got my money back. It really is the bank/credit card's issue. This varies by state, but typically felony theft is $500 or more. If it's a first offense, or 2nd, they are going to plea out to probation on a misdemeanor (most likely). In fact, less than 10% of cases go to trial anyway. IF there is a sentence, it will likely be jail, which is in the local county and less than 365 days. IF there are extenuating circumstances and there is a prison sentence you're only looking at a few years and then and then slice it in half.

Then factor in the costs for all of this. A single inmate, without any medical issues, costs taxpayers about $40,000 per year. That just isn't worth the $600+ bucks that big banks can write off that they already allocate for anyway. In the grand scheme of things I think yes, it should be let go. There are way more important things police and prosecutors should be focusing time and energy on. And I say this as someone who has been in that field, is educated in that field, and has been a victim of crime and that particular crime twice.

 

[cornflake]

I am so sick and tired of all these BAD people getting away with things. Everyone is who saying to 'drop it'. Shame on you!! These thieves should be caught. Because you know why?? They weren't able to make the purchase this time, but they'll just STEAL someone else's information and try again. Do you know why? Because they can and nothing happens to them when they do.

Those of you who are saying to drop it? What if it's YOUR card information they steal next time? Do you still wish to have suggested to drop it?

When these thieves steal things, it is a total invasion of privacy. Not to mention the inconvenience of having to change everything about your bank account or not having the money.

I am VERY jaded by all this theft and Police not being able to or wanting to do anything about it.

Over Memorial Day weekend we had found out that someone stole our debit card information and wiped out our bank account plus some. It took over two weeks for the bank to even give us our money back based on regulation E. We did contact two different police departments in the cities where the cards were used.

So my advice is to contact the police department in the city with the store was again. Your friend may talk with someone else that may be more helpful in trying to find the THIEF who stole her information.

We have to stop this. It is not okay.

This is not the first time that I had money stolen from me. Unfortunately, I wasn't protected the first time and it's just NOT FAIR. Most of us are very GOOD people and we do not deserve something like this that happens to us.

Sorry for the rant......this is hitting too close to home.

People aren't saying to drop it because they don't care or want to let people get away with criminal activity, but because the OP's friend can't do anything about it and the only option she has to pursue the matter is to annoy cops who - again - can't do anything about it.

It's just a time/resource calculation. No one likes it (but the criminals getting away with this crap), but cops cannot spend time on this stuff, there aren't enough cops or enough time - and as many have pointed out, it's not her card, it's the financial institutions' and they don't have the resources either.

They don't like it either, but... well...

As to the lawyer idea, they cannot force a store to turn over tapes, nor can they force the cops to investigate or pursue anything, especially given this has nothing to do with the friend (I mean it has to do with her but the card isn't hers technically, so she's technically not the victim in the case with the surveillance tape).

 

[bumbershoot]

Legally, most debit and credit cards are not *yours*. They are legally owned by the issuing financial institution, and the account holder is the authorized user of that card. One debit card I have even says this right on the back: "This card is property of XYZ Bank." So its really the bank/credit union's job to handle the *attempted* stolen property issue with the police.

Exactly. Unless money is stolen from your wallet, what a bank/CU does with fraud that THEY take the hit on is THEIR business. It's not ours. And I'm OK with that. If I were taking the hit, if they didn't refund the charges or replace my money, I wouldn't be.

The companies who are losing the money are the ones who have the right to do, or not do, the next steps, and we rightfully have NO rights to even KNOW what will happen next.

Why do I suggest her do this? To make sure the thief doesn't do this again. She spent most of the past week dealing with police, credit union, credit bureaus, etc. No one should have to do this.

If only she hadn't had her SS card in her wallet. I will never understand why people do this. Someone recently talked about their son losing the SS card, and it was in the wallet b/c of a new job...DH has had several new jobs since I met him in 2000, and he has never once needed to bring in his SS card. (which is good, b/c he lost it in around '95 and has never gotten himself to the SS Admin offices to get a new card) I haven't needed to bring mine in since '86 for my very first job.

Keep the SS cards out of your wallets, people, so you won't have to deal with this mess.

 

[bpesch]

No lawyer is necessary at this point. She absolutely makes a report in the jurisdiction that her wallet was stolen. Doesn't matter what they say, that's the way it's done. (retired law enforcement here). Then the police department where she made the report should investigate the attempted use in the other city. If she can't get anyone to do anything, go up the chain of command until she gets something done or gets to the chief.

The police department that was in the stolen jurisdiction was wrong. The other PD was correct. The report should be initiated in the place where her card was originally stolen. She needs to keep trying till she gets results.

I can't believe how many people say to just drop it. No way. And the police are too busy to deal with it? That's their job. Sometimes it takes a little push. Just keep pushing until someone does something, it will happen eventually.

 

[rigs32]

So my advice is to contact the police department in the city with the store was again. Your friend may talk with someone else that may be more helpful in trying to find the THIEF who stole her information.


.

Let's say the police do watch the tape and they don't know who the person is that tried to use the card. What then? You can't do ANYTHING if you don't know WHO the person is!

 

[rigs32]

Again, most people don't have the 'jurisdiction' to pursue the matter: the card is *owned* by the issuing financial institution, so though it is in your possession, it is legally the property of that institution.

In what state(s) is that true? It's not true in New York.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

In what state(s) is that true? It's not true in New York.

The bank I'm referring to is a multi-state institution. It's headquarters are in Buffalo NY, but I bank in the greater Washington DC area.

One debit card I have even says this right on the back: "This card is property of XYZ Bank."

Capital One says it very clearly in its card-member agreement (see page 3, 'Using Your accounts' section, first paragraph, fourth sentence):

The Card is our property, and you will return it to us or destroy it if we ask.

 

[SweetPeasMom2]

It wasn't just the cc that was stolen, it was the person's wallet. Why shouldn't the person that did that be made to pay for the theft? I think the OP's co-worker should press this issue further until she gets the help she deserves.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Why shouldn't the person that did that be made to pay for the theft? I think the OP's co-worker should press this issue further until she gets the help she deserves.

It's not that the person *shouldn't* be 'made-to-pay', it's that it is extraordinarily unlikely that the victim will get anything out of pursuing this further. The cops have bigger fist-to-fry like unsolved murders, drunk-drivers, rapists, and other violent crimes. A single instance of someone attempting to use a stolen credit card is a pretty minor crime in most areas. That's the sad reality.

Add-in that the only crime so far is really the credit union's problem to solve, and the victim should just move on for his/her own sanity.

Curious *who* you think is supposed to provide the 'help she deserves' and what you think that help will entail?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I had my wallet stolen a few years ago. Unfortunately, it was overnight so I didn't realize it until the next morning and they had already charged $300 worth of stuff. I called the police, filled out a police report, and contacted my bank. They replaced the money within a few days. The police said that they'd pull the video tapes from the places, but likely nothing would happen. I was a bank teller for quite a few years in my 20's and knew that the tapes were never of great quality. A few days later I got a call that my wallet and driver's license had been found in a ditch. I was just happy I didn't have to go to the DMV!

 

[LadyBeBop]

Just out of pure curiousity - how was her wallet stolen? From a desk drawer, a grocery cart, etc?

From a backpack at an amusement park...left the backpack in a cubbyhole while they were riding water rides.

I know, that's what lockers are for, but still....

Couple of other things.

1) I also have a debit card from the same credit union. On the back, it states "This card is the property of xxx Credit Union.

2) OK, I understand the debit card not belonging to her. But what about the social security card? And the wallet? And the (sorry I didn't bring this up to begin with) the cell phone that was also in the backpack? Shouldn't she pursue it based on that?

Again, sorry for not mentioning the cell phone. I didn't think it was important. She went ahead and bought a very cheap cell phone.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

2) OK, I understand the debit card not belonging to her. But what about the social security card? And the wallet? And the (sorry I didn't bring this up to begin with) the cell phone that was also in the backpack? Shouldn't she pursue it based on that?

Again, it comes down to the reality of what the police are going to do. Unless you live in an unusually crime-free place, this won't be high on their agenda. Ordinary people don't really have any method of pursuing perpetrators on their own.

And in practical terms, if the police chose to investigate and actually reviewed and obtained the surveillance tapes, they'd still have to identify the criminal somehow, which is sometimes easy and sometimes nearly impossible.

I'd think that she should be able to get a police report to make a claim on homeowners or renters insurance, but that's not even a certainty. I recently learned that Washington DC police will not do a police accident report unless a) a government owned vehicle is involved, or b) one or more vehicles involved is inoperable. So run-of-the-mill rear-endings don't get a police report.

 

[HM]

My sister had her purse stolen once. She was able to find out where the credit/debit card had been used (a gas station) and went there to look in their trash. The police said that often what happens is it gets tossed. Sure enough, there was her purse with everything but her money and CC/DC in it.

 

[dakcp2001]

I had a credit card stolen at work. There had been a number of thefts and we all suspected one person. My card was used at best buy at a local mall. In one purchase, a man, used my credit card with my female name on it to buy 2k worth of electronics and no one stopped him or asked questions. I reported the card stolen and was told to do nothing more. I went to best buy and begged them to show me the video, they refused saying it was a liability thing. It could show them not following a procedure or I could retaliate against the criminal and they could get sued. Blahdy blah blah.

I was later contacted by police in a different city that this person had been stopped and had my credit card on their person, amongst many other items, and they wanted me to come claim which items were mine. It was exactly who we thought it was, and his wife was the cashier who rung hi. Out at Best Buy. So they knew that and we're covering their but.

 

[maxiesmom]

From a backpack at an amusement park...left the backpack in a cubbyhole while they were riding water rides.

I know, that's what lockers are for, but still....

I'd tell your friend she was irresponsible for leaving her wallet unattended, and that she was lucky she noticed her wallet was missing so quickly.

Trying to go after who did it is going to take a lot of time and effort, and for what? The police won't make this case a priority, unless they are bored out of their minds, which is unlikely. Your friend needs to decide if she wants to go through a lot of aggravation for little to no gain.

I thinks she needs to chalk it up to a lesson learned (never leave your wallet where someone else can just grab it) and move on.

 

[crisi]

Again, it comes down to the reality of what the police are going to do. Unless you live in an unusually crime-free place, this won't be high on their agenda. Ordinary people don't really have any method of pursuing perpetrators on their own.

And in practical terms, if the police chose to investigate and actually reviewed and obtained the surveillance tapes, they'd still have to identify the criminal somehow, which is sometimes easy and sometimes nearly impossible.

I'd think that she should be able to get a police report to make a claim on homeowners or renters insurance, but that's not even a certainty. I recently learned that Washington DC police will not do a police accident report unless a) a government owned vehicle is involved, or b) one or more vehicles involved is inoperable. So run-of-the-mill rear-endings don't get a police report.

Agreed

The police are going to see a photo on a surveillance tape and then what? They know what they look like - but unless the cops go "oh, that's Five Fingered Sally, we'll go pick her up" all they know is what she looks like. If its a small town, you might get results, in a city it isn't worth the bother.

Well, you say, then post her photo so someone recognizes him. The issue is that only works so much and then the public get fatigued of looking at photos and don't pay attention. So police save the whole "post the photo" idea until they NEED to catch someone - a child abductor. A rapist - not some committing property crimes.

Also, who you post photos and look for information, you are going to get a lot of false hits. People look like other people - particularly in photos. And people who are innocent don't like being mistaken for thieves by the police.

 

[LSchrow]

simply, surveillance tapes are in place to catch shoplifters. i've never heard of any retailer that would allow anyone other than their own LP and police access - the legal reprecussions would be huge otherwise.

interesting sidenote: many larger retailers are using facial recognition software (certain features are picked up by the cameras, and tapes searched to see when that person was in store). this is especially useful in organized retail crime (which is, unfortunately, much larger than most ppl realize).

if the thief is a repeat offender that the PD is investigating, she might find out who it was......most likely, it was a small-time criminal and that won't happen. as others said, she will just have to be more careful not to be victimized again, and let the CC companies take care of it.