So, i was at the gas station today, filling my tank. Expecting to be there for a few minutes and the cost to be around $50... almost as soon as I started filling, I heard the gas slow down a LOT. I looked up and finally the gas stopped pumping at $35. I thought maybe the lady inside got me confused with someone else that had paid cash. So I walked in and she started ranting about some Identity Theft and that my bank did it. I kinda freaked out when she said "Identity Theft", she assured me that it had nothing to do with the gas station (The BP on Gayfer in Fairhope) and that it has been happening to a lot of people lately (first time I had ever heard of it). The woman behind me in line said that it had happened to her the other day as well, same gas station.
So I got in my car, called my bank and they said that nothing was out of the ordinary, I obviosly had the funds in my account and there was nothing that had showed any signs of Identity Theft and there were no holds on my account. She told me it must be the gas station because they had absolutely no record of anything there.

So... has anyone else had this problem? What is it? Today was the first time I had ever heard of it and it just sounds odd to me.

If you paid cash, I don't understand why your bank was even involved in the transaction. What am I missing?

I haven't heard anyone else have any problems at gas stations, but a friend of mine had her credit card used illegally, after using it to pay for lunch at the Olive Garden, Eastern Shore Centre. She had eaten there with friends and as all of us who pay for such charges with our credit card, gave hers to the waitress, who disappeared with everyone's cards.

Several days later she was on-line checking her account and noticed a ten-dollar charge on her credit card that she didn't recognize. She planned to call on Monday to question the charge but Sunday another small charge appeared.

Long story short, someone was using her card number, plus the security number that's on the back, to make internet purchases. Typically what happens is that the thief will make small "test" charges and if those go through without question they swoop in with a large purchase. Luckily for my friend, she'd alerted her credit card company before that happened.

Because it was a short time frame and she was diligent about checking her purchases on-line, she was able to avert a catastrophe. She was also able to determine the last place she used her credit card that it was out of her hands long enough for the thief to collect her information and security code on the back. Generally when we use our cards, we're right there watching and there's no opportunity for anyone to do that without being seen. But at restaurants where the cards are typically taken away from your table, this could easily happen. And did. And I'm not really sure how one could keep such a thing from happening either.

-nab

I got in the habit of stopping at a particular convenience store every morning on my way to work. I would get coffee, food, etc. and the charges would always be around 9-10 bucks, unless I got gas. I always used my debit card and never gave it a second thought. Well, one morning I had to pay a large bill out of my checking account and I knew I would be cutting it close, so I paid cash for my coffee and biscuit. As soon as I got to work I went online and checked my balance to make sure I was covered on the other bill.

Sure enough I saw a charge against my debit card from that store for the 9 bucks. I scratched my head a little and started looking back through all my debit transactions. For several mornings my normal charge would show up and then about an hour later, long after I was across town at work, a charge for 20 bucks would appear. I found over a hundred dollars worth of these charges all happening around the same time in the morning, while I was at work except for one made at midnight during the week. This old guy is not out and about at midnight on a week night!

The bank reimbursed me, but I had to change my debit card and fill out a ton of paper work. I don’t even know if they caught who was doing that, but I never go to that store now and I never use my debit card anywhere. I use my American Express card for everything now and if someone tries to rip that one off at least they will be dealing with the credit card company and not my cash!