I'm quite careful with my debit card; I don't enter it on non-trustworthy sites. I just had a fraudulent transaction, so I'll need to get a new card. When I get the new card, do I need to be more careful with it than this one (not sure how I could be more careful other than by not using it online at all)? As far as I remember, I've never swiped it; all purchases have been online, chip, or tap.
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2No, there are things you can do to reduce your risk, but ultimately, fraudsters are clever - they might have, for example, tampered with the card reader at one of the restaurants where you used your card.– Criticizing Israel not allowedCommented Sep 28, 2022 at 15:09
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@user253751 okay. So just use the new card like I did the old one, and then if that one gets stolen as well, be more careful in the future? I don't think I've ever used the card in-person somewhere where I couldn't see it the whole time; my guess is that a Web site I used it on got hacked.– SomeoneCommented Sep 28, 2022 at 15:10
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A hacked website is one possibility. Shops can also get hacked - even if you can see the card, the card reader or the shop's server could be hacked. There's also the idea that people could read your card wirelessly from a distance, but I think that's still science-fiction at this point.– Criticizing Israel not allowedCommented Sep 28, 2022 at 15:17
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@user253751 well, it is possible to hold a tap-to-pay point of sale up to someone's pocket, and you might not notice that in a crowd, but I haven't been out of the house for a couple days.– SomeoneCommented Sep 28, 2022 at 15:19
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I thought chip transactions were immune to skimmers and the information could only be used for one transaction? This card has never been swiped AFAIK.– SomeoneCommented Sep 28, 2022 at 15:19
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1 Answer
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
If your goal is merely to avoid the inconvenience of getting a card replaced, you could be more security conscious. Unfortunately, this usually comes at a cost of inconveniencing yourself. It is possible that you were the victim of a skimmer that was installed in some ATM/ gas pump/ point-of-sale device that captured your card. You could be more cautious about inspecting any devices you use. That can be an annoyance if you need to get cash or gas frequently. It is possible that a site you've purchased from was hacked. You could limit the amount of sites you consider "trustworthy" and limit where your card is saved. But that means entering your number more frequently and limiting what stores you purchase from.
If the goal is to avoid financial loss, particularly in the short term, it would be preferable (at least in the US) to use a credit card so that any fraudulent transactions are using the bank's money not your money. Banks will usually credit back any money the fraudster takes pretty quickly but depending on how much money you generally keep in your checking account and how much the fraudster took, you could find yourself unexpectedly short when the bank tries to clear a payment you intended.
answered Sep 28, 2022 at 15:51
