BajaNomad

BEWARE! La Paz Banco Santander ATM Users

LaPazGringo - 6-1-2012 at 05:15 PM

Just was contacted by Bank of America to alert me that someone stole our ATM card info and there were 14 ATM withdrawals in Mexico City over the last 2 days. We *only* use our Bank of America ATM cards for ATM withdrawals at the Santander downtown in La Paz and the little ATM inside Chedraui.

Check your account!

bajajudy - 6-1-2012 at 05:31 PM

More than likely the Chedraui ATM.
I never use the ones in the grocery stores....too easy for someone to monkey with.
Generally speaking, the ones in the banks have tighter control....also, you can to into the bank if there is a problem.

Lee - 6-1-2012 at 06:55 PM

Maybe you can elaborate on what you think happened. I use that ATM regularly enough.

LaPazGringo - 6-1-2012 at 06:58 PM

If you ever have this happen to you and you're a BofA customer and get put thru to the Fraud Claims Dept., ask for JOHN DAVIS. This guy could not possibly have been nicer and more empathetic unlike the first woman I spoke with before we got disconnected.

$1850 was withdrawn from Mexico City HSBC's over a 2 day period but BofA is giving me a temporary credit and starting an investigation. He told me there's no way at all of knowing how they did it.

LaPazGringo - 6-1-2012 at 07:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Lee
Maybe you can elaborate on what you think happened. I use that ATM regularly enough.



I am TOTALLY baffled. I was in Calif. from the 20th til today. The charges started ONLY on my card, not my wifes. My card had been in my wallet the whole time. It makes NO sense! If someone stole my # and PIN at an ATM sometime prior to the 19th, why did they wait 10 days to use it in Mexico City?!

Bottom line...don't assume it was the Chedraui ATM like I did. I don;t think that's it but theres abolsutely no way of knowing. I'm still racking my brain...

Ken Cooke - 6-1-2012 at 07:02 PM

In Tijuana, I was once asked if I needed "Help" by a pathetic group of young men that were hanging out near an indoor, Bank ATM of Calle Revoluccion. My looks kinda scared them all away.:lol:

Nomads must be mostly wet behind their ears

Ken Cooke - 6-1-2012 at 07:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LaPazGringo


I am TOTALLY baffled. I was in Calif. from the 20th til today. The charges started ONLY on my card, not my wifes. My card had been in my wallet the whole time.

link:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2011/jun...

Even some contactless credit cards, which use radio frequency identification (RFID) chips that allow you to make purchases without having to swipe your card through a card reader, are vulnerable to virtual skimming, Consumer Reports found in its investigation. We witnessed how they can transmit data such as your card’s account number, expiration date, and security data that thieves could intercept and use to make counterfeit cards.

LaPazGringo - 6-1-2012 at 07:10 PM

Okay, Ken if they stole my credit card info thru frequencies, how did they get the PIN? Is that transmitted also?

How in the WORLD can that contactless stuff be a good idea? Just to save you from swiping it? So what should I do? Try to think of where I might have been on the 29th? Do you guys think it's just a coincidence that Mexico is involved?

credit and rfid

captkw - 6-1-2012 at 07:12 PM

not a good way to go !! "CASH IS KING " and in a diesaster cards are worthless..just a saying !! K & T

LaPazGringo - 6-1-2012 at 07:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by captkw
not a good way to go !! "CASH IS KING " and in a diesaster cards are worthless..just a saying !! K & T


I agree, but the exchange rate at ATMs is so attractive.

Mula - 6-1-2012 at 07:38 PM

Chedraui on Abosolo in LaPaz is notorious for having cards scammed. Been going on for several years - before it was Chedraui.

Ken Cooke - 6-1-2012 at 08:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LaPazGringo
Okay, Ken if they stole my credit card info thru frequencies, how did they get the PIN? Is that transmitted also?

How in the WORLD can that contactless stuff be a good idea? Just to save you from swiping it? So what should I do? Try to think of where I might have been on the 29th? Do you guys think it's just a coincidence that Mexico is involved?


Personally, I would call B of A at their helpline and file a report with them. Create withdrawl limits - Change your PIN (over the phone with B of A). They will walk you through the entire procedure.

Bajatripper - 6-1-2012 at 09:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mula
Chedraui on Abosolo in LaPaz is notorious for having cards scammed. Been going on for several years - before it was Chedraui.


I've been using this Chedraui, and the CCC before it when the ATMs were outside, and have never had a problem with my account (knock on wood).

karenintx - 6-2-2012 at 09:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajajudy
I never use the ones in the grocery stores....too easy for someone to monkey with.
Generally speaking, the ones in the banks have tighter control....also, you can to into the bank if there is a problem.


I agree with Judy. We have used Santander's ATM for years and so far with no problems. Yesterday the exchange was 14.25. We were told several years ago by a BOA employee in the USA..."When using any ATM machine ALWAYS use something to cover your hand when entering the PIN #. Card readers can be place in an ATM easily but the way the thief gets your pin is with a small camera that has been placed where it can see you entering your #."

I am not an "I.T." person but we have used this system for years and so far we have not had any problems. I also check our online accounts seven days a week. Knocking on wood for future luck!

Sorry to read about your bad luck. I hope BOA is able to reimburse you quickly.

Bajafun777 - 6-2-2012 at 09:36 AM

This stuff happens in the USA also, as last year I got hit for over $7,000 dollars when they cleared out my checking account and took my overdraft protection through it limits also. We lucked out in that we happened to be at a hotel just checking in Shell Beach California area when our card was not being accepted. We made a quick call to our credit union manager and found out our card number was being used in Denver Colorado stores. Long story short my wife contacted the stores and had them save the videos and 3 crooks were arrested when they were still using the card number. They had scanned it off the swiper at either the shell station or credit union as these were the only places we had been at. Had to file a police report and wait 2 weeks to get my money back into my account. Now, at all gas stations I go inside to use card and cover my numbers when using ATM machine. Take Care & Travel Safe--- "No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777

mulegemichael - 6-2-2012 at 11:06 AM

beachgirl had one of her credit card #s stolen a couple months ago and the banditos used it in los angeles to enroll in a "online business ethics" course...no bull pucky!

LaPazGringo - 6-3-2012 at 09:51 AM

BofA put the money back in the account the next day but like me, were baffled as to what happened. The fraudulaent withdrawals were only done on my card and I had been in the US for 10 days before they started. I *always* completely cover my hand so that no low-tech method of aquiring my PIN can be used. So it's baffling as to how/why someone in D.F. could start doing ATM withdrawls 10 days after I left La Paz. Anyway, I'm totally impressed with the way BofA responded and John Davis from their Fraud Claims Dept. acted like he was a trusted friend. I'll be even more vigilant than ever now.

BajaBlanca - 6-3-2012 at 12:04 PM

wow, really nice to hear how well B of A guy handled your case ...perhaps a letter of thanks should be sent ... might just make his day. or get him a raise, which in this economy is a good thing !

We had our ATM card scammed...

Mexray - 6-3-2012 at 12:25 PM

...in Sacto, CA (large Russian expat population) a few years ago at an ARCO station...

It happened just before we left for visit to Baja, and we didn't find out till returning home! They wiped out our checking acct...!

The bogus charges came from two different 'states' formally of the USSR - about 1500 miles apart, on the same day, with about 10 individual 'charges' at each place...

We were finally reimbursed, but I was surprised the credit card network protection software wasn't able to halt these transactions after the first couple 'sales' took place - it would seem that transactions, from the same card, on the same day, so far apart would have raised some red flags! I guess international transactions just aren't all that secure...???

805gregg - 6-5-2012 at 04:33 PM

My credit card # was stolen in Avalon, Catalina Island. They bought over $7000 of jewlery at Zales in Fullerton. It was stolen by a latina, (that's the only people that worked at the store I visited). You would think the jewlery store would have a survalence video. Now when I use my card, I pull out my phone and tell the cashier to smile and take their picture, and explain that in case my # is stolen I will have a picture of the thief, you should see their faces.

LaPazGringo - 6-5-2012 at 05:06 PM

This is off-topic but my brother ate at a Vietnamese restaurant in LA and paid by credit card. 72 hrs later he got a call from a merchant in Brooklyn, NY to verify that he had ordered (4) iPhones and was having them shipped to Orange Cty. He said no, naively assumed that it was a mistake and then a couple of hours later the Westminster, Calif. police dept. calls because they just caught a group of Vietnamese men accepting a UPS deliver for goods purchased with stolen credit cards and saw his name on a billing address. He put two-n-two together and the cops arrested a JOB (Just Off Boat) Vietnamese woman from the restaurant who was stealing credit card info. I wish they'd cut these people's hands off like they used to do and watch them try to steal anything then.