Credit card fraud affects local residents

There has been a rash of credit card fraud taking place that has escalated to an epidemic. Because we live in a small community and communicate with each other, it might seem like this fraud is based locally.

I received several complaints indicating this fraud may be the result of a card skimmer being placed at a local gas station.

I met with the manager and she had the service technician for the fuel pumps check each pump and the card reader in the store and found no skimmer device.

A short time later the US Secret Service in Spokane announced they were investigating the largest credit card fraud case in nine years. There are some indications the fraud may be tied to the URM Grocery Supply Company computer system.

URM supplies groceries to several large grocery store chains across the Pacific Northwest. URM announced they are having complete forensic diagnostic review of their entire computer system, which stores financial information for hundreds of thousands of customers.

There is no indication the URM Company is involved in any way. More likely their system has been hacked by a sophisticated network of criminals that are using financial information they obtain to clone credit and debit cards for use all across the country.

Last week, I attempted to use my credit card to purchase fuel locally. My card was declined. I was told they were having problems with the card readers on the pumps. I attempted to purchase fuel at another station in town and received the same message so I called the credit card company.

I was told my card was used in twice in Alaska and once in Texas on the same day so the fraud department closed my account. While on the phone with the fraud department, I explained my position with the police department in Ritzville.

I inquired if this fraud may be the result of a card skimmer locally. The representative said she handles fraud complaints eight hours a day, five days a week and assured me this had nothing to do with a local card skimmer, it was a nationwide problem.

Credit card companies have a monitoring system in place so when any unusual activity take places on a credit or debit card the account is automatically suspended until the activity can be verified with the card holder. The card fraud taking place currently is not the typical internet use. Cloned cards are actually being produced and physically run through a card reader in locations across the country.

I have confirmed the information I received from my credit card company with information received from the fraud department of a local bank. In one case, a local resident who has a credit card but does not use it had their account compromised.

If your account is compromised the account will be suspended then closed. A new account will be opened and a new card sent to you.

You may be asked to sign an affidavit of fraud in some cases, if the charges actually appear on your account.

If your bank asks you to report the fraud to the police and obtain a case number, please call the police department at 659-1313.

Your local law enforcement officers will take your fraud information and file a police report on the incident, but in most cases will not be able conduct an investigation on this type of crime.

It is advisable to monitor your credit card account online daily and contact your bank at the first sign of suspicious activity.

You might want to dig the old check book out of the desk drawer for a while or even resort to using good old United States Currency until the this epidemic of credit card fraud is controlled.