PSA: CC alerts success story

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I x-posted on Credit Cards board, too.
I brought it here, too, cause CC fraud is a macro economic problem, and I’m interested to read what others are doing to protect their accounts.

A few weeks ago, I changed the “alerts” levels for my CCs to:

“send an email and SMS each time a charge is made when the card is NOT present”

  • ie phone, or online orders.
  • I could also have set a $ limit, but opted not to. I get alerts for every charge made, for any amount, when the card is not present.

Now, every time I order something from Amazon, I get an email and SMS alert.
I also pay a couple monthly bills with the CC, and get alerts for those, too.

So far, the number of alerts have not been onerous.

This morning, I got this SMS:
Alert: Card ending in **** was not present for a $29.95 transaction at company-whose-name-i-didnt-recognize. View at citi. com.

The email alert included the phone number for the company,
and I called.
It turned out to be a company from whom I’d ordered a product 1 year ago, and in the process had inadvertently signed up for the “subscription to their website and support stuff”… $29.95/month.

I canceled. The company rep was superb in helping me, and reversed the charge. I’ll be watching over the next few months, to verify. I expect also that if my card is again charged, I’ll get another alert from Citi.

Due to the CC alerts, I was able to catch and stop this ASAP.

A WIN for technology! And, at this point, I recommend using these alerts.

Which “security and fraud alert” technologies on your CCs do you use?

:sun_with_face:
ralph

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Over the years, I have disputed several charges. Some from companies I had done business with previously, some were double billing, and some from companies I never heard of. The biggest offender was Comcast, repeatedly billing for services I had cancelled months before, and for equipment rental that I never rented from them. Won every dispute.

One strategy I use is having a separate card I only use for on-line purchases, so, if it goes awry, I can cancel the card, while the other card I use for in-person purchases is still secure.

… in the process had inadvertently signed up for the “subscription to their website and support stuff”… $29.95/month.

I quit using Norton AV some years ago. Not only is the price steep, but, now, to activate a new Norton package, you are required to enroll for automatic renewal ever year.

To get the console on my new exercise bike working, I had to enroll in their monitoring service. The first 30 days were free, and I could cancel anytime, so I enrolled, got the bike working, then cancelled the service.

Steve

1 Like
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I think this is a great idea. I tried to put it onto my Amazon.com account but couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to do it. Please tell me how.
Thanks,
Wendy

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I have the same type of alerts. Everytime my card is used without my presence, I get notified. Definitely good security and not bothersome.

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I tried to put it onto my Amazon.com account

You add the alert to your CC - likely via your online bank account access. Amazon.com likely doesn’t off such for their site access.

For the OP, you can also add alerts to your checking and savings account(s) (assuming your bank offers such) to notify you of unauthorized access.

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Hi Wendy.
I use a CC to pay for Amazon stuff.
Therefore I get an alert from the CC… not Amazon.
I even get alerts for the monthly subscription to Amazon Prime, cause it’s auto paid with the CC.

I do get “confirmation” emails from Amazon.
I think I could view my account and contest a purchase?
IDK.

If someone knows how to set up alerts from Amazon, please speak up!

:sun_with_face:
ralph

7

Hawkwin add alerts to your checking and savings account(s) (assuming your bank offers such) to notify you of unauthorized access.

Good suggestion!

Due to the protections provided by CCs, I pay 99% of stuff via a CC.

I then have electronic banking payments (Bill Pay) set up from the CU. I have to initiate each payment, online, from my e-bank account.

I then get “payment sent to x” alerts from my Credit Union.

The CU also sends alerts for “your account information has been changed, if you did not make this change, call your bank”.

I asked the CU a couple months ago, if there was an alert for withdrawals.
Nope. But they did assure me that the person would have to get passed their identification processes.
Oookkkaaaayyyy.

I do NOT use the ATM or debit card.
I assume there’s an alert for those… but IDK for certain.

:sun_with_face:
ralph

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Which “security and fraud alert” technologies on your CCs do you use?

I personally don’t have any alerts set up, i.e., us the default from the card companies. Discover, the card I use 99.9999% of the time, has contacted me about an unusual charge appear. I’ve only had those alerts triggered twice. Once, traveled to Dallas around Christmas time, bought DW a piece of jewelry in one store, literally walked in the next store to by DW a couple of cooking items she had her eye on (she is a gourmet cook/foodie). At the second store, charge denied. Had to make a phone call and got straightened out quickly. Second trigger, was arranging a tour of Angor Wat online. Airfare, check. Private tour guide, check. Hotel, denied. Had to call. The hotel’s parent company was an Asian gambling company. Again, phone call and things straightened out pretty quickly and charge allowed through.

DW has had her Visa card hacked multiple times. Was caught quickly, charges reversed, new card issued. So she started locking her card and not unlocking it until walking into the store knowing she is going to buy something, usually the grocery store. But just the other day, was buying some clothes from a friend that has a retail shop, unlocks card, buys clothes, locks card back up. Friend calls a couple hours later saying her charge was denied. Looks into it, there were attempted charges made at 4 different Kroger stores (she went their before her friends shop) in 4 different areas of the state. We’ve come to the conclusion that it may be a Visa issue and she will probably switch. SIL/BIL and myself go to same places but they use Master Card and I use Discover.

Outside of that, my “technology” is checking my credit card charges weekly.

JLC