I too have had my debit card compromised. The last two times where within 30 days of each other.
The first time, it was MY fault. I acted foolishly. I gave my debit card to our waitress at a local diner to pay for our meal. I let her take my card out of my site.
The second time was an inside job. A recently terminated employee (who was later apprehended by the authorities much to my delight and approval), compromised thousands of accounts. Mine just happened to be one of them. The bank replaced the stolen funds, but I had to jump through the obligatory hoops first.
Rule #1. NEVER let your card out of your site!!!
I can't emphasize or stress this enough. The only time this usually happens is when you go to a restaurant. NEVER EVER GIVE YOUR CARD TO ANYONE, AND LET THEM TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR SIGHT!!!
I know it's common practice to do this, and 99 times out of 100, we don't suffer any repercussions from doing so. I've learned my lesson. I've had my card compromised 3 times in this fashion. No more. When I go out to dinner now, I either go with my card to their point of sale terminal, or I visit a instant teller machine and withdraw some $$ so that I can pay my tab and tip in ca$h.
The last time I got burned was at a restaurant I've been going to for over 20 years. I was lazy and trusted the waitress. I got what I deserved for being lazy and trusting. Always go with your card. If the waitress has a problem with you going with your card, ask to see the manager. I've NEVER had a problem with my insistence of going with my card.
Rule #2. Be very careful and discerning where you use your card. There are some places I would NOT use any credit card (flea markets, farmer's markets, county fairs, yard sales, traveling carnivals, pumpkin patches or Christmas tree lots, etc). When I travel by car, I only stop at places that do a lot of business (brand name stations), that sell brand name gas. I won't stop at a mom & pop (an independent) station.
I ALWAYS go inside to pay for my gas. I never use the card readers at the pumps. Outside card readers can be easily compromised without the vendor's knowledge.
I've had a
an account lockout protocol placed on my debit and credit cards with my bank. When I travel out of my local area, I must notify my bank either online or by phone that I'm leaving the area, and for how long. Any attempts to use my card(s) without this
prior notification will be denied by the bank, and my accounts immediately frozen until I call them at an unlisted or advertised phone number, and identify myself and give them a prearranged verbal "password". Only my wife and I know that password. Each time my card was compromised, my checking account was reduced to zero. I had to wait a week for a new card, and 4-5 days before the funds in my account were replaced by the bank.
If you've never had this happen to you, learn from our mistakes and misfortune. Guard your card(s) as you would your children and grandchildren. There are people that compromise credit and debit cards daily, and they're very good at what they do. Now, both of my cards have the electronic chip embedded in them. These cards are more difficult (almost impossible...for now) to comprise than the cards with the magnetic rip on the back. The rest of the world have been using these types of cards for years. The U.S. is one of the last of the major countries in the world to come on-line with this new technology.
If you have a card that does not have this feature, I'd get one asap....like this week.
Another way to safeguard your cards. Reduce the usage of your cards. We do most of our shopping at two membership department stores. We use to use our debit cards for payment. Not anymore. We obtained one of their company (store) credit cards. We also do a lot of shopping at Target. We got one of their credit cards as well. The debit and credit card thieves don't waste their time trying to comprise those types of cards.
They want your DEBIT and CREDIT cards. They can use those cards anywhere....and they do. Once they get your debit card info, they WILL drain your account in 1-2 hours. They'll use your credit card until you or the bank puts a hold on that account. None of the purchases are small. They buy gift cards, computers, flat screens, etc........you get the idea. GUARD YOUR CARDS!!!! If you don't, no one else will.
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