Compromised Credit Card

[Subtitles]

My credit card has been compromised. I have no idea how did this happen as I never let my physical card out of my sight and I never do any transactions using my mobile phone and the card wasn't stolen.
I check my credit card transactions on a regular basis and early this month I noticed three payments to the same restaurant on the same day (my guess is it was a take away payments giving my credit card number by phone). A total of $210
I reported it to the CR company and asked to cancel the credit card and to issue a new one with different card number.
Hopefully they will credit me with this total amount.
I have been trying to figure out how can this happen, even with my precautions.
The CR has a set of 4 x 4 numbers. The last 4 numbers are always shown on invoices but the first 4 numbers are also well known as they are quite common numbers. So this leaves the second and third set to guess right.
Then there is the CVV to consider how did they got hold of it.
Assuming I will get the refund, will the restaurant lose money on this payment or they are also covered in such cases?
I think 4 x 4 set of numbers is not enough and they should increase it to 4 x 5 digits. Microsoft Windows 11 use 4 x 5 sets of digits.

Has anyone been in such a situation and what was your experience on it?
Do you have any suggestions how to increase the security of credit cards? Should I get a notification to my mobile phone and request to approve for every online transactions for example?
Thanks for your suggestions.

[ProWo]

I don't know if they exist in your country, but there are reloadable credit cards that you can use for online activities.
This way you can always charge the amount you need and after the transaction the available amount is back to zero.
So abuse is ruled out.

[Subtitles]

Yes we have such cards, but they have some limitations that I don't like. I prefer the regular ones.

[betwixt]

Look up "Luhn algorithm".
It's the way card numbers are checked but given half the digits it isn't difficult to work out valid combinations of the others, although not necessarily finding registered cards. The CVV can't be calculated, it is issued randomly. Almost certainly somebody leaked your number when you gave it them.

Brian.

[pandy]

Well - you can always start charge back procedure if you disagree... I can always invalidate my credit card - in my country there is dedicated service for this active 24h per day - i assume nowadays each bank offer similar activity.
Normally if you think that there is some kind of abnormal activity then you should contact with police and raise complains - they should investigate such thing - this is almost for sure law violation pursued automatically (at least accordingly to penal code in my country).

[Subtitles]

Well - you can always start charge back procedure if you disagree... I can always invalidate my credit card - in my country there is dedicated service for this active 24h per day - i assume nowadays each bank offer similar activity.
Normally if you think that there is some kind of abnormal activity then you should contact with police and raise complains - they should investigate such thing - this is almost for sure law violation pursued automatically (at least accordingly to penal code in my country).

The CR company will investigate and I am sure they will refund me the abnormal payments. I cancelled the CR and requested a new card. The good thing about this is that I will not spend any money until I get the new card. I have no idea what happens afterwards between them and the restaurant and if they make complaints to authorities or just depend on their insurance. In the end someone will have to pay. We certainly don't contact the police and complain on such matters. This is not part of their job description.

I will probably replace my credit card every 6 months or one year as an extra precaution.

[thecoalman]

I had my CC compromised and I'm pretty sure it was skimmed since online transactions are limited to very few places. Some of those devices are almost impossible to see unless you know exactly what you are looking for. I only pay in cash anymore.

[zing269]

Probably compromised via the payment processing company.

[Subtitles]

I had my CC compromised and I'm pretty sure it was skimmed since online transactions are limited to very few places. Some of those devices are almost impossible to see unless you know exactly what you are looking for. I only pay in cash anymore.

Thank you for your message. Exactly my thoughts maybe a hidden camera was installed at a cash machine. Also every shop has a security camera and when I pay using a CC, the camera (high resolution most probably) can record the face of my CC.
When I receive the new CC, I will enclose it in a black sheath so that the number will not be visible. I can make a cut around the chip so that WIFI will work.

I envy you for being able to pay only in cash. I tried this few years back for a month and it was impossible to continue because online purchases use only CC.

[Subtitles]

I am using now this sheath. It hides the card number and other details and I just need to slide the chip out a little to activate the payment via WIFI.

[pandy]

We certainly don't contact the police and complain on such matters. This is not part of their job description.

Fraud, theft is regular police work - there is no difference between stealing 200$ from your pocket or 200$ from your CC.

[Subtitles]

We certainly don't contact the police and complain on such matters. This is not part of their job description.

Fraud, theft is regular police work - there is no difference between stealing 200$ from your pocket or 200$ from your CC.

Here the CC companies deal with such matters and probably contact the authorities in case of fraud. The citizens don't.
You are right if someone mugs me or as you say steal from my pocket then a citizen can make a complaint at the nearest police station

[TreeTops]

"Here the CC companies deal with such matters " Same here in Oregon. Police do nothing if someone compromises your credit card. You have to go to the credit card company and they may issue a new card and may reimburse you for any amount stolen. Certainly not regular police work.

[thecoalman]

Fraud, theft is regular police work - there is no difference between stealing 200$ from your pocket or 200$ from your CC.

Generally speaking the police are not going to have the knowledge, skills, time or resources to investigate this. The exception is in person purchases. pickups or whatever where they have a person to investigate.

[Subtitles]

So does anyone have any good suggestions how to secure our credit cards?
I am considering taking out a large amount from the cash machines at the beginning of each month and pay for grocery purchases in cash. This way I will only expose my CC once at the cash machine. Other online purchases or payments are more secure for example paying for the water consumption, electricity and Amazon orders. The CC company will not be happy about it because they will see less transaction and increase the monthly payments charge if I buy less.

[cholla]

@ Subtitles,
My credit card charges for ATM cash withdrawals.
I use my bank ATM debit card for getting cash.

I use a DIY "jacket" similar to the ones in post#10.
I just used an old bank ATM jacket wrapped in heavy duty aluminum foil.

Have you considered a RF blocking Wallet.
There are also ones that look more like a normal wallet .

For computer security.
Clean often & right after any credit card transaction.
I uses CCleaner,Privazer,& an old software named Eraser.
I use uBlock on my browsers & I have an extensive hosts file.
Sometimes I have to disable the last two just to use a website.
RevoUPortable also has some cleaning capabilities but I only use it once a week.
I also use the browsers own cleaners.
I also have the regular Antivirus & malware software.

So far I have never had a credit card compromised.
I also use PayPal when I can.(I pay that bill with my regular credit card not theirs).

[TreeTops]

Just pay your bills by check. Only use your CC when absolutely needed.

[Subtitles]

Just pay your bills by check. Only use your CC when absolutely needed.

Thanks for your suggestion.
I stopped using checks five years ago and even if still have checks, the only place to pay bills is going (time consuming and not convenient as I need to make an appointment in advance) to the post office which is a nightmare these days.
The banks stopped such services during the COVID time.

[cholla]

Just pay your bills by check.

I do pay by check for some bills.
If I have to mail in the bill that costs me 73 cents for postage.

If I use my checking account online more risk than a credit card.
As a fraudulent withdrawal using my bank account number could happen.
Most credit cards limit the users liability for a stolen card or card number.
I'm not sure what a bank does but I bet it is more trouble to correct.

@ Subtitles,
In the USA using the post office is easy.
I guess a lot harder in Israel.
I can drop a letter in an outside or inside box at the post office.(No appointment necessary).
Or I can just clip a letter to my home mailbox & a letter carrier will pick it up.