For the first time since the 1980s I have been hit with credit card fraud. In reviewing my online credit card bill I found three charges I didn't make:
A Pizza Hut restaurant where I've never been; Verizon Wireless -- I don't have an account; AT&T -- I don't have an account.
I immediately called Citibank and they not only launched an investigation and immediately credited the money back, but they told me there was a fourth charge which they blocked at a Target. In all cases, Citibank told me, the crook used only my card numbers and did not have a card to swipe.
This means someone lifted my card numbers from a legitimate use.
The last time I was hit with a credit card fraud was, believe it or not, back in the late 1980s, when a waiter at a restaurant in Miami collected various cash payments and put the cash in his pocket, but swiped my Amex card twice.
The first swipe was for my actual charge -- and the second swipe was for the amount of cash from other tables that he pocketed. I discovered that fraud when my monthly bill came in the mail. Yes, those were the good old days when credit card bills actually came in the mail. Amex, back then, immediately credited my account.
Amex suggested that I call the restaurant and report what had happened and suggested I ask if the waiter was still there. Amex said it was very unlikely the waiter was still there and probably moved on to a different restaurant to pull off the scam again. This scam usually takes about three weeks to be detected. In fact, the restaurant manager told me that waiter had left a couple of weeks before.
I didn't use that Citibank card often. In fact, I used it only twice the previous month both at fast food restaurants. So it looks like an employee copied my numbers and then tried to use my card at Target (and failed) but did make charges at Pizza Hut, AT&T and Verizon. Pizza Hut probably doesn't keep records of customers, I am sure, but the police and the Citibank fraud investigators will be interested to see whose bills at AT&T and Verizon were paid with my account number.
In the meantime, Citibank advised me to cut up the card (which I did) and a replacement will be sent.
UPDATE: Another charge to the same AT&T account has now appeared and Citi confirms it will be looking into that AT&T account and who is the holder of it.