Online Transaction Vulnerabilities?

It would be naive to think that personally identifying/financial information could not be easily gathered about anyone. However, these scammers had it all! After identifying himself with some foreign sounding name and announcing that I had been selected to receive $100 dollars of free gasoline purchases (due to my excellent credit rating rofl2.gif ) courtesy of National Health Net, the caller next stated: You have recently made an online business-related purchase using your VISA Card #MYEXACTVISACARD#, complete with verification Number from the back of card, Expiration Date, full correct name as it appears on the VISA Card, correct mailing address and phone number. All the above information was correct. I have used that VISA Card (1) one time – ever–! In these past few weeks I used it for (1) one transaction only, and that was to a PayPal account of an individual who I know and trust. Is PayPal the "leaker"? I inquired for the callers name and company Name/Address/Phone number. The answer came immediately in the voice of a second foreign sounding man. He did not give the requested information and instead asked to confirm the above information in order to complete the transaction and submit my information to "Verification". I replied that I did not agree or consent to any transaction/purchase/trial-period/or offer. A third foreign voice responded with additional questions to reassure me that they were not like other scammers and that I was being unfair to judge them based on other unpleasant experiences that I might have had. I again asked for the company's name, address, and telephone number. This time a fourth voice stated the address (listed below) and requested my bank account information, (specifically Checking) because his company does not accept VISA credit card payments. His questions and assurances became increasingly urgent, supposedly to make better sense of my obvious misunderstanding of his intent and the excellent value of what I would receive for the $29.95 shipping and handling fee that had been entered on my Card. I stated emphatically that I did not agree or consent to any charges. I asked to be taken off their Call List and to be placed on a Do Not Call list, and hung up the phone. A call came back immediately, apologizing for the phone service disruption (I had hung up) and immediately connected me to a "call-recorded" computerized Verification sequence to which I was to clearly speak and spell all of the above identifying information. Sloppy work on their part, yes. Many of you would also say, sloppy work on my part, and that I should have just hung up. I didn't, because of the initial statement of my correct Credit Card information. I wanted to know how they got it. I figured they had an "affiliate" status with PayPal. Their reply was just a bit more unsettling than that. The fourth man repeated my information correctly, and stated that I must know that the Internet is "insecure". He stated that his company has no online affiliates and that his company routinely "intercepts" online transaction information to build their data-base of customers. pullhair.gif National Health Net Derrone Vardeo (one of the four) 8345 NW 66th Street #4237 Miami, FL 33166 [removed] I'll be canceling this card and my PayPal acount today. I will also be inquiring with my Bank and the local police. I had previously (more than a year ago) been happy to make computer hardware purchases online. I'll think twice and thrice before doing so again. I'll also be submitting a HJT log for review. I keep a pretty clean machine. At least I've thought so, until now. Later, I'll probably do a complete Format and Reinstall. <– I hate doing that. Is this a False Alarm type concern? I sure don't think so, right now. Are internet transactions "secure"?….. probably not. Heads-Up, folks. Doug

Heavens Doug, thanks for all the above information. Only yesterday did I do a Paypal transfer. The recipient received the funds, but I realise that is not the issue with your experience. One month ago exactly I did a funds transfer to the same account and a month later (yesterday) money was returned by PayPal. I emailed the recipient immediately only for them to find out their account was "dead" with PayPal! As stated above I sent funds once again and it was received. I am not sure what I will do now with my PayPal account - suggestions would be good. kind regards,

Reposted information, courtesy of Y Kawika.

Just found this Doug: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/268/RipOff0268020.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/264/RipOff0264904.htm

Same dayam phone number: [removed]

smile.gifY

edit: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/268/RipOff0268440.htm
QUOTE
all this happened when I gave account info to Security Networks for an alarm and monitering system which actually is good??? Someone in that company is selling information I think

Hey Doug, That really is bad news and I'm very sorry to hear about it. This may seem a stupid question for me to ask …..but isn't that sort of thing illegal in your jurisdiction? I don't just mean the Scam or whatever its called, but the "leakage of information" What have the authorities done to close down the scam and apprehend the perpetrators? (assuming that what they done is an offence) Mind you I have always maintained, when asked if on line payments, banking etc is "safe" . that its generally pretty safe-ish ……for the banks! I do hope you don't lose out over this Doug. Regards paws

for months i have used paypal for ebay purchases with no problems, but on the 21st august i made a donation to a music website in the US via paypal . When i received my credit card statement ,i discovered that $1000(£512) cash had been drawn on my card at ladbrookes .com on the 23rd august.This is now being investigated by the Halifax bank, the issuer of my visa card. i used the credit card in Ibiza and London during the summer so maybe i ,ve been scammed somewhere but with this transaction being so soon after i made the donation it makes me wonder if that paypal transaction was less secure than previous ebay transactions? i figure if someone got your details,they would use them as soon as possible before you could block any wrong doings. i had a trojan attack in March but didn't use any financial sites at that time and with the help of Ken545 on here,we eventually cleaned up my p.c and my virus and spyware checks have come up clean since then and i have spyware blaster installed as a further barrier.

Internet privacy is not. Internet security is not. Internet safety is not. It was at one time, but no longer. If you think your security and or safety has been compromised on any site that takes any kind of personal information the first thing to do is change your password. Next write the group you think you have a problem with i.e. paypal and have them change your account. You can even call them to do that. Do not trust Ebay under any circumstances. If you use Ebay watch every transaction closely. Your security is your responsibility.