Someone used my card number to buy a flight. Could I catch the bad guy/girl ?

fineso.mom · 01-03-2017 4:05pm #1

So, just found a transaction on my account that I definitely didn't make. 143 euros to a well known airline. I've spoken to the bank. They've cancelled my card and will sort the money side, so that's all grand but.......
I was wondering, if someone bought a ticket for a flight with my card number they are going to have to turn up to the flight with a passport so to book the flight they would have to use their own name. If I let the airline know it was fraud what would they do?
or.....Could I ring the airline and pretend I've booked a flight and forgotten the date/time and so get the name or time of the flight ? Although I can't see them giving me that info with me just giving them the card number that was used to book the flight.
Maybe I could say I gave the wrong e-mail and haven't got confirmation, and give them my own e-mail?
it's no big deal, the bank is sorting it but my inner Magnum PI would love to rock up to the airport ( if it was even in Ireland) and confront the feckers . ☺
Daydreaming of sting operations aside...is it not kind of stupid to book a flight with a hacked card since you have to turn up with a passport to travel?
posting in after hours as I have no worries 're the money. just interested to know what you would do if you had a chance to catch the bad guy?

BrokenArrows · 01-03-2017 4:10pm

fineso.mom wrote: »

So, just found a transaction on my account that I definitely didn't make. 143 euros to a well known airline. I've spoken to the bank. They've cancelled my card and will sort the money side, so that's all grand but.......
I was wondering, if someone bought a ticket for a flight with my card number they are going to have to turn up to the flight with a passport so to book the flight they would have to use their own name. If I let the airline know it was fraud what would they do?
or.....Could I ring the airline and pretend I've booked a flight and forgotten the date/time and so get the name or time of the flight ? Although I can't see them giving me that info with me just giving them the card number that was used to book the flight.
Maybe I could say I gave the wrong e-mail and haven't got confirmation, and give them my own e-mail?
it's no big deal, the bank is sorting it but my inner Magnum PI would love to rock up to the airport ( if it was even in Ireland) and confront the feckers . ☺
Daydreaming of sting operations aside...is it not kind of stupid to book a flight with a hacked card since you have to turn up with a passport to travel?
posting in after hours as I have no worries 're the money. just interested to know what you would do if you had a chance to catch the bad guy?

Once the bank reverse the transaction the airline will know it was fraud, and they will cancel the transaction.

Anyone who buys a plane ticket with a stolen credit card is an idiot.

Its stealing money but telling everyone your name and where exactly you will be on that date and time.

One eyed Jack · 01-03-2017 4:11pm

Any chance OP maybe someone mistyped their own card number by accident or is there some validation process that checks the card number against the name on the account of the card holder?

As to the whole WWYD question, I wouldn't do anything exciting, I'd just change all my access codes and PIN codes, etc.

me_irl · 01-03-2017 4:13pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Any chance OP maybe someone mistyped their own card number by accident or is there some validation process that checks the card number against the name on the account of the card holder?

Was thinking this myself, but surely you'd have to know the exact number, including the expiry date AND the CVV?

One eyed Jack wrote: »

As to the whole WWYD question, I wouldn't do anything exciting, I'd just change all my access codes and PIN codes, etc.

Yeah, I'd fantasize about catching the culprit. But it's better off to leave this under investigation by the appropriate parties. I mean, when that person does show up to the airport surely he/she will be detained? Or... maybe nothing that drastic.

johnnyskeleton · 01-03-2017 4:13pm

At the risk of stating the obvious - contact the Gardai and let them use their powers of investigation?

elefant · 01-03-2017 4:14pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Any chance OP maybe someone mistyped their own card number by accident or is there some validation process that checks the card number against the name on the account of the card holder?

As to the whole WWYD question, I wouldn't do anything exciting, I'd just change all my access codes and PIN codes, etc.

They would also have had to mistype in the OPs expiry date and the CVC code.

whoopsadoodles · 01-03-2017 4:15pm

It's not usually the person travelling who has committed the fraud. It's usually done by cowboy travel agents who take payment for the whole trip from the person travelling and are able to provide the flight details which will inevitably be cancelled while the cowboy agent is long gone.

pilly · 01-03-2017 4:16pm

Maybe they flew very shortly after they booked? I love this Sherlock stuff! Don't think I'd go trying to catch anyone though. Could be dangerous.

fineso.mom · 01-03-2017 4:17pm

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Once the bank reverse the transaction the airline will know it was fraud, and they will cancel the transaction.

Anyone who buys a plane ticket with a stolen credit card is an idiot.

Its stealing money but telling everyone your name and where exactly you will be on that date and time.

Ah. I never thought of that, that they will cancel it. Damn , I was just polishing my knuckle dusters.

pilly · 01-03-2017 4:17pm

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

It's not usually the person travelling who has committed the fraud. It's usually done by cowboy travel agents who take payment for the whole trip from the person travelling and are able to provide the flight details which will inevitably be cancelled while the cowboy agent is long gone.

I have never ever heard of a cowboy travel agent???? Who books flights with a travel agent anymore anyway.

jameorahiely · 01-03-2017 4:18pm

Happened to me before. Someone booked themselves a nice holiday to Brazil on my card.

Ring bank, Ring Gardai, sit back and let them do their jobs. I got refunded, never heard any more about it now that I think of it.

whoopsadoodles · 01-03-2017 4:18pm

pilly wrote: »

I have never ever heard of cowboy travel agent????

They tend not to be based in Ireland!

I worked in the travel industry many many moons ago and it was more common than you'd think.

pilly · 01-03-2017 4:19pm

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

They tend not to be based in Ireland!

I worked in the travel industry many many moons ago and it was more common than you'd think.

Many many moons ago maybe.

fineso.mom · 01-03-2017 4:20pm

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

At the risk of stating the obvious - contact the Gardai and let them use their powers of investigation?

Ah yeah, I will do that. Have to go anyway to get them to sign a form from the bank. I was just getting carried away with the thought of finding out who it was. ☺

pilly · 01-03-2017 4:21pm

Actually, just thinking, I'd be more concerned about how they got my card details OP. Did they bank issue you a new card or what way are they going to deal with that?

whoopsadoodles · 01-03-2017 4:21pm

pilly wrote: »

Many many moons ago maybe.

Nope. Still happens. Like I said, usually not based in Ireland.

Isn't it a much more logical explanation than someone using it themselves and giving all of their details, passport and all, and where they'll be on a particular day?!

fineso.mom · 01-03-2017 4:22pm

pilly wrote: »

Maybe they flew very shortly after they booked? I love this Sherlock stuff! Don't think I'd go trying to catch anyone though. Could be dangerous.

Me too. I'm so nosy. In another life I'd love to be a detective.

fineso.mom · 01-03-2017 4:25pm

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

Nope. Still happens. Like I said, usually not based in Ireland.

Isn't it a much more logical explanation than someone using it themselves and giving all of their details, passport and all, and where they'll be on a particular day?!

Yes, but you're ruining my notion of finding the bad guy☺

One eyed Jack · 01-03-2017 4:25pm

pilly wrote: »

I have never ever heard of a cowboy travel agent???? Who books flights with a travel agent anymore anyway.

Cowboy travel agents are the ones who go off the reservation...

/gets coat :pac:

I pass by a couple of travel agents on my way to work and looking in the window they always look to be doing a fairly brisk business. Could be maybe people booking package deals with flights included, I dunno

jameorahiely · 01-03-2017 4:28pm

fineso.mom wrote: »

Yes, but you're ruining my notion of finding the bad guy☺

don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you. :pac:

fineso.mom · 01-03-2017 4:29pm

pilly wrote: »

Actually, just thinking, I'd be more concerned about how they got my card details OP. Did they bank issue you a new card or what way are they going to deal with that?

card cancelled straight away. No idea how they got details. I only use it for shopping ( grocery) and atm.

Cloudio9 · 01-03-2017 4:32pm

I remember watching one of the UK fly on the wall airport programmes before and the police boarded a flight just about to depart and lifted a passenger who had booked the ticket with a stolen credit card.

pilly · 01-03-2017 4:37pm

fineso.mom wrote: »

card cancelled straight away. No idea how they got details. I only use it for shopping ( grocery) and atm.

Now there's a mystery to investigate.

If you don't use it online how would they get the details? Is it a relatively new card?

Beefy78 · 01-03-2017 4:37pm

fineso.mom wrote: »

Daydreaming of sting operations aside...is it not kind of stupid to book a flight with a hacked card since you have to turn up with a passport to travel?
?

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Anyone who buys a plane ticket with a stolen credit card is an idiot.

I work in the payments industry and it is incredible to see the amount of these frauds that airlines get every single day. It has never made sense to me.

Jodotman · 01-03-2017 4:52pm

There are chat rooms online where you can buy peoples credit card numbers for as little as a euro. You could buy a thousand credit card numbers if you wanted to. Its crazy.

Most common way people get your credit card numbers is from the internet, skimming and then hotels and bars. Its a common trade.

At the end of the night when places are doing cash reconcilliations they have the 16 digit number on the front of your card as its printed from the machine.
All they need to remember is the expiry date and the 3 digit CCV number on the back.

Elderly people are the most exploited.

Earthhorse · 01-03-2017 5:02pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Any chance OP maybe someone mistyped their own card number by accident or is there some validation process that checks the card number against the name on the account of the card holder?

Not sure about the validation process and I know other people have made points about the CCV number but additionally I imagine credit card numbers aren't assigned in such a way that off by one errors are an issue. You would have to get several digits wrong to come across another valid CC number.

pcardin · 01-03-2017 5:07pm

jameorahiely wrote: »

don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter bank card go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you take your bank card and book expensive holidays. :pac:

now, fixed for you.

razorblunt · 01-03-2017 5:36pm

This happened at a Billy Connolly gig years ago. A fight broke out in the aisle, someone's car had been broken into earlier in the week and 2 tickets stolen, along with the radio.
The victim remembers the seats, rocks up (got in somehow) and started throwing punches at the guy in his seats.
Turns out the guy sitting there bought the tickets in a pub a few nights before.

ScouseMouse · 01-03-2017 5:37pm

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

It's not usually the person travelling who has committed the fraud. It's usually done by cowboy travel agents who take payment for the whole trip from the person travelling and are able to provide the flight details which will inevitably be cancelled while the cowboy agent is long gone.

Indeed. Has happened a few times.

Graces7 · 01-03-2017 5:41pm

The card people are great. When I called to pay my car insurance, the card was refused. I was stunned as there was enough in and to spare.

Called the card people and it was a security check. Partly what they called "unusual traffic" as I had used it a lot re the move, partly the size of the payment..

Was put through a long security check on the phone and all my recent "sins" were listed for confirmation, then the block was lifted.

I was impressed. Embarrassed at first. But the insurance folk were fine with it.

fineso.mom · 01-03-2017 5:50pm

pilly wrote: »

Now there's a mystery to investigate. If you don't use it online how would they get the details? Is it a relatively new card?

No its a few years old and actually I have used it online to pay for the shopping...supervalu and Tesco, but not for a long time.

Someone used my card number to buy a flight. Could I catch the bad guy/girl ?

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