This happened to me a few months ago too. The banks fraud dept noticed first and put a hold on my account. I tried to get gas and my card was declined and I knew I had $1000.00 in there. Turns out the creeps spent over $800.00 at BevMo (it's a store that sells liquor) in Fresno. I live in Los Angeles and had my card in my posession. The day they used it, I had too so there's no way I could be in two places at once. The bank gave me all of my money back after 3 weeks or so but I was livid. The bank said the WORST place to use your debit card was at the pumps at the gas station. The creeps put card readers in the slot, leave it for a couple of hours and they collect all of the info on the reader. They drive through later and remove the reader.....they now have your info. I still use my card to get gas but I go inside to the clerk to pay. Scary stuff! I hope you get yours straighted out Vicky....it's so violating. P

I use my debit card free of charge all the time, rarely have cash. It is convenient for keeping track of expenses. As long as you switch to "credit" and don't use your pin, you're pretty safe unless someone has stolen the actual card. Twice my credit union has called when they suspected odd activity, but it was me both times. They are on the ball because consumer liability is generally limited to only $50. When I was using checks to pay bills, a clerk wrote down my CU routing number and account information and had a great time buying things with my money. The bank was on top of that one, too, and though thousands of dollars was spent, I lost nothing. You have to pay attention, but they are very safe. Imo. Read the link below. Here is a link that might be useful: debit card safety

dedtired, with that 8K purchase, that you paid off after a few days, and accumulated a lot of points ... would there have been fewer points given if you'd let the amount owing run till after the billing date? If not, as Elmer suggested to several, why bother? Granted ... all the interest that 8K will accrue in 15 - 45 days or so won't buy many ice cream cones! But, as I've often suggested to young folks, general public, financial workers, etc., "Learning how money works is an interesting hobby ... and IT PAYS WELL!" Taxes, too! _________________________ Don't know whether this is current, or how many may follow it, but I've heard that it's part of the contract many credit card issuers require of the dealers is that they can't offer discounts for cash purchases. Which annoys me, paying for many of my purchases with cash. Maybe I should ask a store with the credit card sticker on the door whether there's a discount for cash, and if none, walk out, leaving the goods behind. But ... then ... there's my time ... and letting the annoyance get to me. Plus, with my "credit" (read "debt") card ... being old, and forgetful, don't help, when they want you to have a mess of capital and small letters, numbers, symbols, etc. for your PIN ... and change it frequently ... ... how was that, again, please? ole joyful

If a debit card gets compromised and transactions are charged fraudulently, that is YOUR money from your checking/savings account that is gone. Yes, presumably your bank will put the money back in your account....you know, at some point, once they believe you and get around to it. :) If your credit card gets compromised, that's the credit card issuer's problem. Yes you still have to call and report the fraudulent activity - but in the meantime, none of your actual cash in your actual bank account is gone while it gets sorted out. I have never even owned a debit card, for this reason. It's just not worth it to me. I get points on my credit card (which means cash back for me, yay!), and the bill is paid in full every month. So the credit card company is literally paying me to use their product. I've had 2 or 3 fraudulent charges hit my credit card over the years, all of which were easily resolved on my end - and none of "my" money was tied up in the process. Win/Win/Win. :)