Quote Originally Posted by Lint View Post
Sounds like you may have been a victim of card skimming. Your bank may have sent you an alert about this through email.

If you've ever handed your card to the waiter at a restaurant (or similar situation) they can put your card through a scanner to copy it's magnetic info AND your personal signature.

Alternatively if you've used your card at an ATM they may have scanned your card by installing a faux card reader and overhead camera (to read your pin when you key it in) on the ATM itself. The equipment they install are usually well sculpted and are not obvious unless you're deliberately inspecting.

To protect yourself, try not to withdraw cash from ATMs, especially ones that are isolated or facing the street where its not so busy (harder for them to install their gear if theres always people around), always cover your hand when you key in your pin and inspect the ATM for dodginess before use.
I suspect my local servo. I'm always extra careful at ATM's (the closest one to my house was on the news for the card reader/camera for you pin scam a couple of years ago) and I rarely use my card in person for anything else. I recently started using pin option with my credit card. My local servo has a security screen that gives the attendant a bit of privacy and they could easily swipe the card through a skimmer without you seeing, and then they have secuirty cameras to watch you enter your pin.

In business I see plenty of attempts at credit card scams. One of the most elaborate ones we get on a regular basis would only net the thief a couple of hundred bucks and takes a fair effort. It must be a constant battle for the banks to try and keep up with the thieves, and I'm impressed at how well they do.