OMFG! Scott, that is just horrible! I can't imagine how horrible it must be to have that happen. There must be something more you can do but I'm afraid i don't know what that is at the moment. I guess just check with your bank and see if anyone there can help you. I'm really truly sorry you won't be taking your New Year's trip. Right now I know you're probably in shock, but I hope when you recover a bit and get going you're able to find the ba$tard and send them to hell.

((((HUGS)))

Oh $@#$^** I am sorry, there was/is a rash of emails going around supposed to be from paypal wanting you to change the pass word on your account , It is a scam to gain access to it . Hope there is a way to recover the rest . Gin

Thank guys!
I've never given my info to anyone.
Particularly, if they've requested it.
Yeah, Gin.
I know about those and regard them like a Nigerian bank scam.
With me, they just snagged it off the net!

I've tried to only deal with protected transfers.
So...I really can't say where this breach occured.
I still am thinking that it was through eBay and/orPal pal!

I just got off the phone with the bank.
Out of the last months withdrawals, only a few hundred can be linked to me!
I can spend money like a drunken sailor, but ultimately I'm sorta' cheap.
This was all my savings and my inheritance from my grandma, so what's truly gone...is gone!
I'm only protected for the last 60 days and I would think that this has been going on longer than that.
I'm just gathering all my statements and playing it by ear.
I do have every statement that I've been sent for the last few years.

My mom had a similar event happen to her.
Everything was caught early on.
Someone in a hotel room in Texas, was trying to make large purchases over the net.
She did get it all back, but it was a real mess.

Scott

My post was erased. Don't know why.

Do you balance your checkbook, Scott?

Sorry this crazy thing happened to you. Happened to me once about 6-7 yrs ago. Filled gas, I had to give my credit card to the sales guy for a few mins. In the next several days, 200 dollar grocery from Winn- Dixie and $300 purchases from WalMart raised the red flag- we got the money back- but this scam is awful.
Hope you recover as much money as possible. Like osflover says DH looks at the online billing activity every day or so, and I have started doing that.
Is your PayPal attached to bank acct?

Sorry to hear this happened to you.

First of all, the bank can put the money back ASAP. They can take it back as fast as the let it go. I've dealt with this a couple of times in the past couple of years with supposedly reputable companies. And presently dealing with it, again. Another thing, record every conversation you have with creditors and banks. They claim to lose things, even contracts, all the time. Also, contact your state's consumer protection agency.

Secondly, banks have put major, headache causing, barriers in place for this type of thing. How come your bank didn't? Six years ago, while in London, we paid for dinner one night with a CC that was then quickly used to try to buy computer equipment in Albania. The card was cut off immediately. We didn't find out why until we got back to the states, but still, the bank cut it off due to "strange" buying behavior. Close to 20 years ago I was cut off from my CC while shopping in Atlanta. The bank (and I've since come to learn it's true of other of banks) cut off daily spending at $500, unless you call to change it. Presently, and this pisses us off, my husband has to jump through hoops to deposit his check into my bank account (he's not on the account and we use different last names) due to possible fraud with deposits. I keep my CC cap at $500 and just call the bank if I'm going on a shopping spree. Checks, though, go through for any amount (this is with Wachovia and Bank of America and what used to be CCB which is now Suntrust and don't trust a damn thing to them, let me tell ya).

#3. People used to look at prepaid CC cards as shameful. Not anymore, as far as I'm concerned. They protect both privacy and fraud, especially online.

Bottom line, your bank screwed up from the beginning but you should check your balance online once in awhile, even I do once a week, although I haven't balanced my checkbook in years.

No!
Actually, I don't really pay much attention to my statements.
I don't use my checkbook.
I rarely write checks. I use my debit card almost exclusively.
I hate credit cards and don't buy anything unless I actually have the cash up front to do so.
Even my credit card withdraws directly from my acct.
If I can't afford it, I don't get it.
I've always done that.
I may go for weeks without spending a dime, but I may spend a few grand in one day on supplies for future projects.
After that I really don't spend much for a long time.
It always makes me nervous and I pull way back.

I've always had a good idea as to what I'm spending.
This acct. was intended for orchids, my green house and just buying the odd thing.
Most of it was really aimed at a huge sustainable off-grid green house!
This was for the structure, the alternative energy generation equipment, insulation outbuildings, etc!
I never planned on keeping that amount of money in there for this long.
I always intended it to be pulled a long time ago.
One thing after another kept the green house delayed, so the money has just say there.
When my mom became diagnosed with breast cancer, many plans were put on hold.
Since then, my health crashed with food allergies, but has since returned.
Just really, one thing after another were far more of a priority and the money has just sat there.
This cancelled trip was the first time I was able to just get away, for at least four years.

This is with my small local bank.
They all know me by my first name.
Many of them, I've even become friends with and bring in blooming orchids to show, plus exchange emails.
I thought that it would be for the best.
First off, I don't like dealing with the big guys.
I hate B of A with a passion and have rarely had positive dealings with them, stateside.
Internationally, they're an entirely different matter and the best to have.
I understand that they're virtually two different banking systems.

I've been dealing with the bank and the police for the last two days and feel somewhat positive about things.
I did let the officer know that my brother is a cop and that we have others in the family.
Being included in the group does truly help.
It was interesting how the priority got bumped up when I disclosed the relationship. :~)
I even had him call me back for additional info!;~)
This is actually one of the poorest parts of Oregon.
We virtually have no police force left.
Every tax proposed for it has been voted down.
The Sheriff actually told people to buy guns, as they were soon to be bankrupt and wouldn't be able to help anyone.
The idiots wouldn't even support the county libraries!

We'll see how it goes.
I've already been going over my records.
I do have every statement that I've ever received, saved. As well as virtually all of my Pay pal payment email notifications.
I have the names of every merchant that I've authorized transactions with, dates, actual purchase and amount totals.
That should be a big help!

Scott

Scott, hope things sort out well- I wish you get most of your $$$$ back.
Actually credit card is a good thing if used wisely. Pay in full at the end of the month(same as Debit). Gives you protection against bad vendors(vendours as some may call).You can always dispute any false charges.
Best of all we accumulate enough 'Thank you' points by the end of the year- to get some free air tickets and hotel rooms.
BTW, I don't work for a CC company!!

I had a similar problem with a small bank. A large withdrawal had been made from my account to an undisclosed location, followed by hundreds (or more) of deposits and withdrawals in less than two days. I didn't find out until my statement came, but that was sure a shock! They fixed that issue without investigation or anything close to an explanation other than 'it happens', so I moved my accounts.

I just had someone yank my credit card number and buy a $499 piece of software that, not only being useless, wouldn't work on my computer. They refunded me and investigated the situation.

Credit cards are kinda scary, especially since I'm a flake and can barely remember to pay bills that aren't automatically withdrawn, but if they're paid in full, they're definitely safer than withdrawing directly from your account, unless you've got a good bank that knows their stuff. It's a game, as sambac described.

Either way, I'm sure that didn't help anything, but I do feel your pain. I was sixteen at the first incident and my mom thought I'd spent a gross amount of money and got in huge trouble until it was fixed. :) I really hope you manage to recover your moolah. Talk about a sucky holiday treat!

Actually, I should clarify that, 99.9% of the time, I also use my check card and don't spend money unless I have it but am finding more and more reasons to keep a small balance on a prepaid card, just for this reason. Safer to have paypal and eBay tied to a prepaid card with little extra funds on it.

I also have most things automatically withdrawn to pay bills. Stacy you aren't the only one who forgets to pay. Has nothing to do with having the money or not, the month just slips by so fast.

But for an example of getting phished, I guess that's what you'd call this: I use FireFox, Gmail, AVG, Spybot etc., all the supposedly geeky software to keep one safe online. A couple of months ago I followed a link via the forum to another forum that I've visited in the past, but have never contributed to, and never went farther than the home page, so never clicked any links even on the other site, within 2 minutes I had a bounced email show up in my email box from a commercial orchid grower. Now, I followed no links on the site, use a different email address on GW rather than my private one and my email address was somehow phished. Last I looked, my router had all unnecessary ports locked down. What got through? For the record, I've never had any spam come through the email account I use for GW.

It could be a coincidence, but it certainly looks like just visiting that site, somehow my email was compromised. I'm pretty savvy about this stuff, so trust me when I say this was scary. I don't, however, store my bank username and password, it's the only one I don't save.

You just can't be too careful anymore. I conduct just about all business, other than grocery shopping, online but sometimes even I'm tempted to become a luddite.

Scott, still sorry to hear about this and your mother. I'm a BC survivor, but by the grace of god, go I. There are a few of us here that have battled that devil, very young too.

Yeah!
I will say that I've had better holidays! ;~)
If there's a bright side to any of this...
Today was my Mom's 60th birthday!
If I had gone as planned, I would've missed it.
Not sure if I would've drank anymore than I did, but still...
The big thing that pisses me off, is that I never intended this to stay in the bank this long.
It was going into various large planned areas two years ago, but everything got delayed so badly that it just stayed there.
As usual, one crisis after another, after another...!
With all the various family health scares, my green house and potential livestock structures became very unimportant.
But the money was always there for later.

Until, the bank told me that there was only $17 dollars left!
When exactly have I had time for all these hotels and plane trips?
Jeese!
With the exception of going to the coast three or four times, I haven't been anywhere in years!
I'm still going over statements and records.
I'm missing about four of them over the last two years, but I know that I have 'em here somewhere!

My life went on hold about five years ago!
With the exception of my orchids and a few fish, everything became about helping my parents get through everything!
(That was a huge part of my leaving the other place!
I couldn't handle dealing with everything, day in and day out, and them on top of it!)
I moved a thousand miles away from my life and my friends to stay here and help.
I used to go back twice a year, but even that stopped.
Ah well...no regrets, I guess!
It was just never right to leave again.
I kept my grandmother with me until she died and would again.
I don't like, if only's and I shoulda' or things like that!
I won't have it!

'Nother example of PWT! :~)
(Postin' while toasted!)
Scott

You did the right things regarding your family and you know it.

I was pondering earlier--if the money was used to buy airline tix I would think they'd be tied to real names. With Homeland "Security" so tight on flying the last several years one would think somehow that could be traced. I guess getting at least some of the money back would be good but actually catching the perpetrator would be great. Who knows how many other people they're ripping off!

Just out of curiosity, where in OR are you? I've been to Oceanside and environs a couple times in the last few years and just love it.

I believe that, at least, some of the purchases have been traced to a name.
What will come of it...??
Who knows!

Here's a new sat image!
I do have a few other Sat photos showing my location, as well as some of the local orchid locations!
I'm literally, as the crow flies, seven miles from the Ca. border.
Up in the mountains, I cross back and forth w/o even knowing.
It wasn't until I started to mess around with Google Earth that I was certain about locations.
Even then, a few things are close estimations based on visual cues that I can get from the air.
Me...I know for certain, but rest is close enough! ;~)
{{gwi:136002}}
If you pull it up in a larger window, you can see it better.
I went ahead and added Oceanside to the map!

As far as trying to do the right thing...
I remember a mentor telling me...and I'm paraphrasing!
"That it's like wetting yourself in a dark suit!
It gives you a warm feeling, but nobody notices!" ;~)

I just noticed this post. I also use PayPal a lot and it makes me nervous. I use 2 methods to keep things under controll.

1) I have 2 bank accounts. The one which is used by my Credit/ATM card, my automatic withdrawals and my check book maintains a minimum balance to serve the current need. The second account is NEVER used for anything other than to transfer money into the first account. This 'SAFE' account does not even have the same name, by juggling the middle initial and spelling the first name differently, the 2 accounts appear not to be from the same person. If someone penetrated the bank log-in of the active account, it would not give them access to the real account. Since that account is never shown to the outside world, I hope its safe. I know crooks are clever so I just keep my fingers crossed.

2) Every morning I log on to the account activity and review yesterday's withdrawals. At the same time I make timely transfers to the active account from the protected one to prevent overdraws. It takes no more that 2 to 3 minutes. The monthly statement is redundant, it comes way to late anyway in case there is a problem.

I have never had a problem, not because of the above protection but because I have been lucky. If a problem did occur via PayPal or otherwise it would be limited to a very small amount of money.

Nick

Actually, online theft of debit card and credit card funds is a very small percentage of that type of theft... the majority happens close to home, at the gas station or small local store... here's how it works:

The thief comes in and cons your average worker into scanning debit and credit cards for them... they pay about $100 a name/card, and the clerk just has to swipe your card twice, once through the real scanner and once through the one left behind by the thief. The thief comes back, picks up his scanner, and pays the dishonest clerk for all the names/cards he scanned. Deal done, and now all those people will begin to miss funds...

We've used PayPal exclusively since its inception, and we've never had a problem. Of course, we check our balance and history on a regular basis. At the first sign of trouble, the cards get canceled, and we get new ones.

It's easy to lay blame on the card company, but it's really up to the cardholder to keep a close eye on his or her accounts. Careful vigilance is necessary in today's world of electronic banking!

The way to prevent card theft is to scan your own card whenever possible, keep your eyes on your card when you must hand it to a clerk, and keep up with your balance and spending.

I'd know within a day or two whether my account was compromised... I check constantly.

I'm not suggesting PayPal is a problem, I used it a lot and never had the slightest issue, I'm actually a big fan of theirs, the quickest way to affect international transactions. I have had several phisshing attempts using a fake PayPal front page. On the other hand I also have had several attepts to get my banking info using the same method of pretenting to be my bank. Once someone tried to use my ATM card, or a replica of it but could not enter the right PIN. My biggest safety feature is that any thief could get no more than $200.00 max on any given day. I also change my PIN number 3 to 4 times a year.

Not physically releasing your credit/ATM card to a clerk is good advice.

Nick

With the busy lives we lead, it's easy to get distracted when shopping, and we just naturally hand over our cards without a second thought... but in today's poor economy, you just never know who will be tempted to cross the line and take money to gather credit card numbers for a thief.

Just last week, my husband lost his wallet... the very first thing he did was call PayPal and cancel the card. I still have mine, so we'll weather the two week wait without his just fine. Whoever picked up his wallet will be very surprised... no cash, and no valid cards!

These days, most points of purchase have card scanners right there, so you slide your own card... but it's really important to keep watch if you do need to hand your card to anyone.

We do quite a bit of business online, and I've never run into a phony page for PayPal or Ebay... just lucky, I guess! Actually, my husband is quite the tech genius, and I'd say we're pretty well protected.

The Holiday shopping season will be upon us soon... be careful... and keep watch over all your balances and accounts. It's a pain sometimes, but worth the extra effort!