Credit/Debit Fraud

I just read someplace that in a very large number of cases, Credit/Debit card fraud is "traced back" to restaurant usage. You know, whip out the card, the server takes it into the bowels of the establishment where your card might pass through multiple hands before hopefully finding its' way back to you. I do it routinely and I suspect many others do it as well...probably a pretty stupid/risky move in hindsight and a clear violation of the "never let your card out of your sight" rule.
That said, what are the alternatives??. If the restaurant has a cashier out front, you could opt to pay as you leave, but how about those "Please Pay Server" establishments? Mobile card swipers would be nice, but perhaps cost prohibitive for many places? Use Cash?
What do you do?
Curious Bill

I have never had an issue as a card user or as someone who takes cards. But you do have a point.
When I lived in NYC we would go to 6th st. for Indian food. The joke was that there was one large kitchen that cooked everything for all the restaurants. One night I paid with a credit card. I was a bit alarmed when I saw the server taking my card out the front door. He promptly returned with my card and a cc slip but it ha the name of another restaurant on it. They evidently did not share kitchens but merchant processing.

I think all and all you are pretty safe in most Louisville places..

10 Places not to use your debit card

^^^

I rarely use a debit card. Case in point: My CC number was thieved somewhere ( could have been random? ) and used for things like Skype; sending flowers to someone in Colorado for $300 ; and another absurd cost. Luckily, I was able to work with the company and they canceled the card; negated the charges ; and issued another card. By the time you've found out your card has been lifted , in case of the debit card , it'd be a NIGHTMARE working it out with banks.

10 Places not to use your debit card

Maybe all of three months ago my Fifth Third debit account was breached to the tune of about $800, and because the transactions all took place in California while I had used it here in Louisville same day, I was contacted by the fraud dpt., who immediately put a hold on my card, and all I had to do was sign an affadavit that they sent me in mail declaring that I wasn't responsible for the purchases. All debits were almost instantly reversed. Definitely an alternate experience than that article suggests. Maybe Fifth Third is that good, or maybe the bank is about to change with the growing number of fraudulant data breaches.

Jackie, the same thing happened to me about a year ago. Fifth Third really came through.

PNC came through well for me recently. I had over $300 in fraudulent charges to internet companies that all appeared to be "Get Rich" companies. Despite being warned that provisional funds can take up to 7 days, they appeared in my account the same day I spoke to the bank, and the only headache on my part was a one page affidavit.

I recently ragistered for an event in Montreal and 5/3 locked my debit/credit card because the charge was in Canada!?!?! When I called to figure out what was going on (after being denied at Lowes's with the same card) the 5/3 operator told me that they always freeze the card when after charges to Canada! I thought this was very strange, apparently someone was supposed to be calling me that very second to question the charge. The operator explained that Canadian transactions were not that safe and that there are many hackers getting into Canadian merchants. I questioned idf that had anything to do with relaxed security standards, etc., which yielded little insight from her."Once something is out in cyberspace" was part of her response to me.

So, I guess the moral of the story is to beware of Canadian charges or you might find yourself hacked into or locked out. Just passing along the info.

I have occasionally had the rather embarassing experience while traveling of having my card rejected.

Just last year I drove down to Alpharetta, GA for a concert and stopped for dinner, My debit card was accepted. Then I ran over to Target to pick up a $100 Nikon digital camera (as I couldn't take my D90 into the show), and bam! No can do.

It's rather humiliating to stand there with the clerk giving that look. I then tried to use a check. That didn't work either. Luckily my friend covered the cost of the camera.

It was only about 20 minutes later, after leaving the store, that I got a phone call from card security to verify my charges.

On one level, I am glad they are monitoring things, but I had driven from Louisville to Nashville then to Alpharetta, stopping for gas and food along the way and they never once called. They waited until I had left the store to call, but they didn't waste any time denying the charge.

If they're going to deny, they should have a time limit of 10 minutes to make that verification call.
I was so upset because I was afraid they'd deny my hotel charge.

This isn't the first time this has happened either. I'm going to have to start calling the bank every time I leave the state of Kentucky!

My dad has experienced Terri's situation often. He travels a lot for business, much of it driving, often between Ohio and Georgia. It's gotten to the point that if he pulls off for gas, he calls the credit card company first before filling up, as they were denying the authorization over and over. Despite telling them that he travels often, it didn't help.