Yes, even though you are not liable, it is still upsetting.

That is definitely annoying. I've been notified by AM EX on at least 5 different occasions that they suspected a fraudulent purchase and were contacting me to verify it. I've always been impressed at how quickly they caught it.

Luckily I've never had someone intercept a new card though. I think they should email the card holder to tell them the date that the new card was mailed.

“I think they should email the card holder to tell them the date that the new card was mailed.”

That was my thinking as well. Shortly after hanging up with customer service I had an email telling me there’d been a request to issue a replacement. It also said I’d be notified when it was mailed and asked that I confirm receipt of the card. But this wasn’t done for the stolen card.

I feel for you, jrb451. I received a call on Saturday that the debit card attached to my jewelry business account had been compromised. Someone attempted to purchase a pair of Nikes online for $229. The card is still in my possession and I only use it to pay my Etsy fees and to buy jewelry making supplies.

The card was canceled and I'm on vacation right now so am going to be without the card for month. I had to change my Etsy account billing to my personal VISA card and if I make any purchases will also have to use my personal VISA or pay cash. Not the end of the world, but it is inconvenient and annoying.

my AM EX will be declined if I stop at a store after buying gas with the card. Its a good idea otherwise, too, but I won't use a card at a gas station anymore.

Sorry for all of your problems..,,ugh!!!.,,. Do you have a free standing mailbox that they might have gotten your card?..,,or scammed through some other means?

American Express has never called me, but they are quick to stop the account if they think something is suspicious. We've had our card number hijacked a few times. They work with you really well. They've overnighted cards to us and one time when I lost my wallet on a roller-coaster ride, they let us continue to charge things on the card by calling them during the transaction because we still had to pay for hotel and food.

That stinks. One time I had several cards stolen from my desk at work. My Visa card company called to ask if I had made certain purchases. That’s when I discovered they were gone. I called all the credit card companies to let them know and there were charges on every card. First a small charge and then a larger one. I didn’t even want to touch my wallet knowing some creep had had his hands on it. I wasn’t responsible for the charges but it infuriated me. Now I immediately get an email after I charge anything.

You can set up notifications with Amex so if your card is used without you being present you get an email. Mine is almost instantaneous when I order online for example. Also you can be notified if a purchase over a certain amount is made. I presume other CCs also have this service.

Yes, I set up those notifications earlier this afternoon.

My AmEx card shows any purchase immediately on my iPhone. It also sends me an email for large dollar purchases (I chose what "large" means to me). If I saw something suspicious, I could call them immediately.

I also use ApplePay wherever it is available. It is the most secure way to use a credit card - better than a chip reader. It's also quick and SO easy!

Are you saying you're better protected from personal financial risk using Apple Pay instead of a credit card? I'm not sure how that could be.

OT, sort of. My DS worked for the last 6 years for a company whose sole reason for being is to catch people fraudulently buying gift cards online. Fraud and theft in this whole area is constant and pervasive. He was very, very good at his job, but it made him so cynical about human nature that he had to leave the company.

I’m sorry that happened to you. Our bank account was robbed once by someone using my debit card, while it was still safely tucked in my wallet. It’s upsetting to know someone can just grab your mail or copy your card and steal thousands in cash or product without any reprucussions, but that is exactly what law enforcement said to us when we filed the police report.

We had the business name and address of the location the debit card was used at. They did several 500.00 transactions in a row on the card machine at that business until the account was emptied. It took all of 2 minutes to do and the business was only 20 miles at best from our house. It was a crime ring and still the deputy said nothing would probably come of it. I was floored. No wonder these kind of crimes are getting more and more popular with the crimminals, it’s literally free money for them.

I’m hoping it will be different for you but am curious all the same.

I'm wondering if that was recently or if you use a small bank?

We had an incident a few months ago with a large-ish national but mostly internet based bank. It was use of my wife's debit card in an ATM in a foreign country. Once they reached me, I learned the bank sent her an email within 15 minutes of the incident, called her cell phone another 30 minutes later (not reaching her either time, she was busy), and then reached me at home. They told me there had been repeated attempts to use it but they blocked access after the first one. Coincidentally, we'd just returned from a trip abroad but to the other side of the globe, on a trip I'd told them of in advance.

Their SOP is to contact the account holder immediately when an out of pattern transaction appears, and deny and cancel the number when a second one happens if no contact has been made. I asked how her numbers had been obtained. They said most normally it's random numbers that hit every so often. They said that they expect a certain amount of such activity. After the first unsuccessful attempt to reach her, the number was permanently cancelled and they were calling to say a new card with a new number was being sent out by Fed Ex.

The withdrawn amount (a bit under $200) was restored to the account the next day.

Another remiinder to use your credit card for purchases, and never your debit card. I'd rather have the credit card company remove a fake charge on my account than to have a crook wipe out my bank account, even if I get the money back.

“Losses are written off as a cost of doing business, which of course raises the cost of doing business for all of us.”

And I think that’s what chaps me the most.

The expenses to procure and provide any product or service, whether in the private sector or the government sector, factor into the "cost". Bad debts and thefts are typical costs for a bank. Same thing for retailers. How could it be otherwise?

I'm not sure what "chaps" you. In the financial world, bank accounts and credit cards that are free of charge are easy to find. There's no need to concern yourself with the provider's costs.

Do increase in the provider cost not make the product more expensive? Sorry you perplexed.

Are you paying something for free services?

My thought was to suggest that financial services are no different than anything else. But within the topic of the thread (that it seemed your comment related to), it seems to me that free is free. You're welcome to be upset about how everything else that's not free works.

It is a cost of doing business that is present in just about any service industry and more particularly, in any financial service industry. The costs are factored into the fee structure and interest rates. And would exist if any losses occurred or not :-) No losses (or low losses) just means increased profit.

Last fall my debit card was used similar to what Elmer mentioned. Four in the morning after several charges were made in different sections of the country I received a call and a message alerting me to the problem and telling me the card was frozen. I first checked my bank account on line to verify that the message was from my bank. Very important to do as scammers have been known to send similar messages. When I called the number given I was asked to verify if any of the charges were mine. When I mentioned that I needed to buy groceries and gas I was told that I could do so and given a number if there was a problem.

There was no way that my bank would allow any additional charges to go through after they noticed the odd usage. While the first two $500 withdrawals might not be challenged more than that up to the amount set by the account owner would cause alarms to suspend the account. The bank accounts that I know of have a daily limit on cash that can be withdrawn from an ATM unless you notify the bank that you will be needing more. They will then verify that you made the decision and allow the withdrawal.

An FYI incase no one has noticed most debit cards are not issued directly from a bank but by a credit/debit card issuer. If there is fraud it is up to that company not the bank to prosecute the fraud. If it turns out to be someone that you know and do not want to be prosecuted, child, other relative, friend you may be given the option of accepting the loss but extending that option is up to the company that has issued the card. Used to work for two different banks in their credit card area.

maifleur, I think a best practice is to restrict debit card use to bank ATMs and to avoid using them for retail purchases.

You don't want your bank account funds tied up (or diminished/restricted) while something out of the ordinary is investigated. Better to do your shopping with a credit card - then questionable charges won't stop you from doing other things in your life (aside from making other charges) and won't risk other payments bouncing.

It's good to avoid the standalone 3rd party ATMs seen in random places too, their security is less reliable than bank operated locations.

I didn't take the time to read all the comments, but my hubby gets a text within a minute, sometimes immediately, every single time our card gets used.
Last month he caught a $670 online purchase at a clothing store neither of us had heard of. He grabbed his cell and called to report it. The young woman laughed at how quick he was at it raised a flag to them too. He called so fast they didn't get the text to him to ask if it was one of us.
Check with your bank and see if they offer the text each time your card is used. It's saved us more than once. Granted my hubby knows every penny I spend. LOL

They also offer virtual numbers for each place you shop online. That way all they have to do is change the number instead of sending a new card each time.

I use my credit card for big purchases that I can not pay off immediately. I seldom carry much cash as it is easier to loose the money than to have to freeze or unfreeze a card. Having worked in banking and until recently had several personal accounts at different financial institutions I do not worry about my personal accounts being tied up. Even if a bank etc. was closed by the FDIC it is normally done quickly. If I had to I could mug someone with the various change jars. However that does bring up something interesting that may be happening in other parts of the country. The credit union that my husband has an account has stopped accepting larger amounts of coins as of August 3. I know there are a couple of countries that are no longer using coins for transactions so stopping accepting coins at financial institutions may be the first step in this country if/when this spreads.

If you use the CoinStar machines in many grocery stores, you can take the option of getting 100% of your money (no fees) if you opt for a gift card for any number of places, including Amazon. A mayo jar of coins is generally about $90-$100, I load the credit onto my Amazon account and my small purchases are "free".

maifleur, you're the one who said the account interruption prevented you from buying groceries and gas. My suggestion about limiting the use of debit cards remains (I've seen it as a suggestion too many times to ignore) and it's because of differences in cardholder liability under the law. Some issuers are more generous than the law requires but most people don't know what they do or don't have for risk.

sushipup, I take change to those machines long before I have as much as a mayo jar full. I dislike carrying change in my pocket so whatever I have at the end of the day goes into a small container. When full, I too take it for 100% credit as an Amazon card.

Thanks for the suggestion of the gift card. Like many who simply tossed their change into a jar and put the jar somewhere to take to the bank later I probably have over $500 in change so I will have to do a trial run to see which gift cards are available.

The CoinStar machines in my area are in grocery stores and give two choices:

If you want "cash" for your coins, there's a 12% service fee. $100 in coin will get you an $88 card you can cash at the grocery store.

Or, if you choose an Amazon gift card, $100 in coin will get you a $100 Amazon gift card. Because Amazon pays a 15 percent commission for referrals and a gift card that's been sold is considered a referral.

So CoinStar makes money either by charging the 12% cash fee, or getting the 15% commission from Amazon.

There are a lot of other choices besides Amazon for your 100%, too. Depends on your location. I remember Starbucks, REI, several chain restaurants and some other retailers, too.

Elmer, I know you're not a fan of Apple or it's products, but ApplePay is the safest way to pay for anything - safer than a credit card with a chip. Why? Here's an explanation on Wikipedia - need to go fix my dinner and don't have time to write it all out for you. I use mine all the time with my AmEx card and have been very happy. It's so much easier to just pull out ones phone - no messing with wallets and things falling out (they do in many women's wallets which are stuffed).

Apple Pay uses[5] the EMV Payment Tokenisation Specification.[6]

The service keeps customer payment information private from the retailer by replacing the customer's credit or debit card Primary Account Number (PAN) with a tokenized Device Account Number (DAN), and creates a "dynamic security code [...] generated for each transaction".[2] The 'dynamic security code' is the cryptogram in an EMV-mode transaction, and the Dynamic Card Verification Value (dCVV) in a magnetic stripe data emulation-mode transaction. Apple added that they would not track usage, which would stay between the customers, the vendors, and the banks. Users can also remotely halt the service on a lost phone via the Find My iPhone service.[2]

To pay at points of sale, users hold their authenticated Apple device to the point of sale system. iPhone users authenticate by holding their fingerprint to the phone's Touch ID sensor or facial recognition via Face ID,[2] whereas Apple Watch users authenticate by double clicking a button on the device.[

Thanks for the reference to wiki. From what I read:

1) As you cite above, It uses EMV tokenization technology and encryption to maintain secrecy of the specific customer information. FYI, I believe this is exactly the same as what a credit card with a chip does. Same technology.

2) Google Pay is the counterpart available for Android phones and it does exactly the same thing too, and

3) Don't forget, cardholders have no liability for unauthorized charges. Security is the card issuer's problem, not the cardholder's.

Apple users for whatever reason often think some capabilities of Apple products are special and not available with other products. Other than some integration features between its own products accomplished by tightly knit firmware, I have rarely found that to be the case.

sushipup I looked at the CoinStar site the only thing that shows is an Amazon Gift card up to $1,000. Perhaps the individual machines have something different. If I want money there is an 11.9% charge.

On the Coinstar site, you can enter your zip code and get precise locations of machines and what they offer, I think.

I live in Suffolk County Long island NY. A friend recently had her I- phone stolen while in a mall clothing store. As soon as she realized it was gone, she had it shut off and blocked. A hacker turned it back on within hours, and police tracked it to an apartment building in the Bronx NY. The police decided not to enter the apartment building as they did not have any apartment number and could not go door-to-door. Luckily she will not be responsible for any charges, and she did NOT have any bank information or credit cards on the phone.

I do most of my not-large-number-of-payments using cash, so my only concern is if someone takes it out of my pocket.

In this area, the coin-counting machines are mostly Coinstar, I think. The ones in the stores charge about 11% and one gets a credit slip for the reduced amount to be used at the store. A while ago when I mentioned that to one user, he said that wasn't a major issue. I wondered to him whether it'd be a good idea to farm the job out to the 5 or 6 year old lad accompanying him, for about 5% ... for the kid to get a lesson in money management.

There are some in banks, and there one receives a credit slip for the full amount of the coins deposited, which the bank adds to one's account (or may provide in cash, if desired?).

I've heard some claim that the amount shown is less than the actual amount of the coins deposited, but have considered it as a story, but unverified.

ole joyful

Elmer, "The Apple Pay is superior to the chip card because Apple Pay uses a device-specific number and unique transaction code. So your card number is never stored on your device or on Apple servers, and when you pay, your card numbers are never shared by Apple with merchants. When you hand over your chip card to a merchant your credit card number, name and security code on the back of the card are exposed to whoever handles your card."

Yes, there is also Google Pay and Samsung Pay - one should use what one's phone allows. What I thought was brilliant was that 4 years ago when Apple Pay was introduced, they ad already signed up hundreds of merchants who would accept it. Neither Google or Samsung did that when they were introduced.

I happen to like my iPhone and I love Apple Pay. When in London a year ago, I was thrilled to discover that all London cabs accepted it. It certainly beat fumbling with change, trying to see the denomination (I don't go often enough anymore for it to be automatic) and such - just held it up, screen asked me if I wanted to tip and gave me multiple options and that was it. SO simple and much easier!

Anglo, of course be happy with what works for you. I was just pointing out that there's nothing unique about Apple Pay. The same terminals that accept it also accept Android pay. Cabs almost everywhere take credit cards, and many that take credit cards cannot accept NFC payments through Apple or Google Pay.

Safety and security are not the concern of the cardholder. Smartphone paying is no safer than chip cards. As I said before, the risk of theft remains with the card issuer and isn't something for a card holder to be concerned about. Not ever.

+++++++++++++++++

Edit to add (after Malfleur's "like") - There are still many "payment terminals" that don't accept NFC systems like Apple or Google Pay. If you set out for the day with many stops to make that require payments, with a smartphone but not a credit card, you'd run into many places you'd need to resort to a debit card or cash. These things are a novelty but still very short of fully replacing credit cards.

The one way to use a personal transportation service and not be concerned with having a means or enough cash to pay at the end of the ride is with Uber. The charge goes through automatically with no need to interact with the driver at all (for those who haven't used it). I've used it all over Europe, including in London, and it works great.

Interesting thread. Somehow, we have many jars of loose change. Two of them I inherited and the coins have been in them out of sight, and this thread jarred (<--- hey, a pun) my memory. A couple of those mayo jars covered with worn masking tape are from the 1960s.

Before I dump the contents into a coin-count machine, I wonder if there might be rare coins -- like a five-headed buffalo nickel.

Look for silver coins, minted prior to 1965. Wheat pennies (design on back), lot of other rare stuff.

Thanks, sushipup.

I have a neighbor who is keen on this stuff.

I have or used to have lots of:

Liberty dimes -- no idea where they are. Life's calamities and so on

Buffalo nickels -- in the 1960s I kept them with a boyfriend who --- well, my bad. Lost to me now. He was a really fine fellow.

Wheat pennies, gray or lead (Pb) pennies

Silver dollars - just two, one marred. I wish the gov would mint a few more.

It will probably take me five hour or more to look through the coins. I may find a liberty dime or 6 wheat pennies. If I found and sold them, I bet I'd be lucky to net a dollar (paper(.

Isnt it amazing what we accumulate and how quickly just three decades or more zip past?

Would many of us to do things differently or all over again in a completely different way? I would if I had the benefit of hindsight and maturity at a very young age sure why not? (I am voice typing so excuse the goofs).

Darkening skies and it's only a little after 1 PM. I am in the Northeast and this unstable tropical weather because of the aberrant jetstream is very hard to cope with after two months. I need to have a few yard sales, clean things out, part with the items, paint the house, do yardwork, go to a few flea markets, visit friends, but in this every day soggy tropical unstable weather with a chance of lightning I am not getting a lot done.

How about you guys? Does this weather seems just too crazy and annoying? I saw today that they are having floods in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. So sad that people are having their lives in their homes in jeopardy. And in California, it is just heartache to see people so distraught and losing their homes and livelihoods. It is like a stab to my heart.

If you do take the time to find the silver quarters and dimes sometimes jewelry makers will buy them. Most coins except for a few miss strikes that have been in circulation are only worth their face value. Most want uncirculated coins. If you have them they have been in circulation.

I did watch some show that talked about the number of counterfeits there are in dollar and quarter coins. I have not done so but touching with a magnet will find them. I did find a bad coin that looked like a penny but on close inspection was not.

I believe gray pennies from WW2 years are made of steel, not lead.

If you have spare time, there's nothing lost by sorting through and looking for what's there. As the coins came from general circulation, it's very unlikely there's much of value to be found. Coin dealers aren't a scrupulous bunch. When buying from non-collectors, they know what the items are worth and rarely offer a fair price.

Thanks, everyone. Yeah, I am unlikely to strike it rich and if some collector spots a hand made penny <wink>, he or she deserves every dime on the penny for their studious acumen.

Elmer, I wondered what those homely gray pennies were made from. I remember seeing them many years ago. Zinc? Tin? Steel? Butt-ugly, in any case.

What rain and sog! I am itching to go for a sail or row in a small boat on a shrimpy pond-lake. Anyone here SAIL? I love being on the water, or IN the water. We mostly play with small boats like dinghies, Sunfish, kayaks, and a Daysailer. My favorite is small dinghy sailing where I can feel the water right below and lean my tender back against the vertical side-wall of the small cockpit. I am stuck (trapped!) inland now, but used to love sailing in saltwater bays and sidling up along the many harbor seals resting and sunning themselves on ledges. They are so very tame and curious, slipping into the water and bobbing alongside a small quiet boat to inspect and see who you are and what you're about. They are very much like sweet dogs in that way. Doggone adorable, friendly and curious. I love the small wavelets; the fragrance of granite, blueberry and bayberry heated by the sun.

As for the jars of coins, I remember that I used to pour the contents into a Salvation Army bucket at holiday time. That was a win-win feeling.

I had those ubiquitous penny collection "albums" sold in every dime store when I was about 10. It took two to cover the range from about 1900 to what then was the present time, late 50s-early 60s, so I learned about them. I'd buy penny rolls at a bank (I think there were 50 pennies, so 50 cents each) and then walk home and go through what was there.

Copper was a strategic metal for the war effort (to make brass for bullet and shell casings and for wires) during WW2 and more precious and expensive than steel, so the switchover was made. Not for long, maybe a year or two?

I did a lot of sailing in my youth and owned a boat during my young adult years. I moved on to other hobbies and haven't gone sailing in awhile.

Elmer, thanks. Funny, minutiae hangs onto my brain cells. If I recall correctly, "1943" was on those ugly gray pennies. The color reminded me of the liquorish NECCO wafers which I favored, along with the lavender-colored clove, the pink and the orange. So those gray ones were of steel? And, yes, I do recall (but forgot) the WWII related rationale.

Elmer! How could you set aside sailing for "other hobbies". Like what?! Hard drugs? Politics? Rock bands?

I grew up in the ocean and need the ocean. My bliss. But I understand that some people gravitate towards deserts, high mountains, glaciers.

I am no inflexible ;-) Plop me down into a cool Irish meadow, a midland lake area, the Canadian Maritimes or Labrador. Pipe some fiddle music and reels into my ear and I will be unable to suppress my foot tapping and head bobbing.

I too grew up in a family with a beach/ocean orientation, did as many activities as possible (especially as the teen years came), and it's what I like best too.

I loved sailing, learned on little boats (which is the right way), worked my way up and bought a 30 footer. We had it for a number of years but I tired of it. It was just like the mountain cabin you feel obligated to go to, and do only that, because you're paying so much for it. I've always started hobbies and then tire of them and pick up new ones.