Just got a call from my credit card company yesterday, asking about suspicious activity on my account...boy, I'm glad they have folks hired to watch those things. Apparently, some people from Turkey were trying to use my credit card number at an ATM. Losers. They were denied. Anyways, I had to call the ole company and have them cancel my account and issue me new cards.

Anyone have similar stories to share?

Yes... Chase caught a suspicious transaction about two years ago... someone from Florida was trying to order a computer system ($1400) from a place in New Jersey and have it shipped to Miami. Since all my transactions are typically confined to Oklahoma, Chase thought it was odd. I was called, denied the charges were mine and they immediately cancelled the account and reissued new cards. Ever since then, they call occasionally to verify the legitimacy of larger purchases. I really appreciate it too and tell them so.

I once took a vacation to the east coast and used my CC for everything. When I came home, there were a couple of messages from the CC
company wanting to verify my puchases. It was nice to see that happen, very reassuring. I'm also glad they didn't cut me off prematurely too.

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My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind
Albert Einstein

Midfirst called me a few weeks ago letting me know that a 'strange' check was trying to be cashed on our account.. it was our payroll check for a new employee but I appreciated the call very much and told them so.

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" You've Been Thunder Struck ! "

I recently made a large purchase from a Dallas retailer over the phone and also ordered a few books from Amazon.com
Capital One emailed me within 24 hourse after not being able to contact me by phone and asked me to verify the transactions.
I never have had to verify anything before and thought it was ironic that it occured to me on the day that I read this thread.
They were just protecting themselves against fraudulent activity.

Somehow, someone got the number for my bankamericard and had a grand ole time at Don Quixote's to the tune of about $600. They also bought gas, cigs, walmart shopping spree, etc. Since the card was used here in OKC, I never got a call about any purchases. Since they also used the card at some places that I also shop, it was hard to clarify which were mine and which were not. Since I had the card on me, I never figured out how they did it. The CC company said that a card had been swiped to make the charges. It took a month or two, but everything was straightened out and I lost no money. They were very good about helping me figure out what to do, etc. Still very frustrating and a little scary.

I've had two incidents.

In 2001, my Web host (I've since moved) was hacked and a password list was stolen. It turned out to be a list of people still using the default passwords - which didn't include me, since I'd changed mine already - but I informed the bank, which immediately cancelled the card and issued a new one.

The second instance was in 2005, when someone got the bright idea to ask how come I was paying for two ISPs on the same card. And I can't say as I blame them, since this is not a common practice - though I keep a dialup as a spare, since Cox is not always up and not always available (I travel during the summer). On the other hand, they reported someone had run a $1 charge, the sort one does to test a card in a retail environment, on this account, about which I knew nothing. Reasoning that someone was making up fake cards, they cancelled that number.

My wife just got a letter in the mail from her previous employer. It seems that they were notified that the FBI was in possesion of a computer taken from another previous employee of the same company that had a bunch of names, addresses, SSNs, salaries and job title information from the company's database. It advised that we should take steps to monitor our credit information (gee, ya think?) At least the company is providing a free 1 year membership to a credit-watch service. Still, I've placed a fraud watch on her records at the big three credit reporting agencies. Don't know how much more I can do right now.

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My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind
Albert Einstein

I haven't had an experience with my own cards but have some GREAT stories about other people. My business allows people to make payments on their accounts with their credit cards by phone.

One day I had a lady call wondering why her card had been used here, after we figured out what customer used this lady's card, etc, etc, it turns out one of my customers worked at a dry cleaner and stole her credit card # when the lady paid there. This customer didn't even get in trouble by the police really, they said the courts pretty much have to get tired of seeing a person before they put them in jail for something like that.

A lady called more recently all the way from New York wondering why her card had been used at our company. Turns out a customer's daughter works at a medical billing company, stole the lady's card # from there, and paid her mom's payment with it. Needless to say the lady is pressing charges and that chick lost her job.

I have had about 3 other instances as well. I am SO paranoid to use my debit or credit cards anywhere after working at a buy here pay here car lot.