Harbor Freight and your credit card

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I know this problem is everywhere  but I mention it.

My Credit union issued me a new card and PIN ,  it just showed up in the mail, with the PIN arriving 3 days later.

I talked to my credit union this morning.  First words out of the gals mouth was Harbor Freight.  Some where in HF system ; cards were compromised.  My CU just issued new cards.  the gal I was chatting with had the same thing with new cards because of HF.

There have been  no bogus charges to my card.

In July my brothers debit card was on vacation in Connecticut. Not from HF , but someone stole his debit numbers

[wayne petty]

i knew a person who works at hf main warehouse..

there were people who work there.. from rehabs in the area.. this was a few years back.. current?

could people have migrated up thru the ranks to that kind of secured position.. hmm..

i would like to go to work there just to get their catalog online organized.. putting the tools in the proper sections with the proper descriptions..
i could do it with just a single printed page  description of each tool..

when they list copper pipe cleaning tools as battery terminal cleaners.. well.. the lights are on.. but nobody is at home..  and i like harbor freight.. have bought from them for decades..  but with the thought in mind..
money gone if not thrilled...

there are hackers out there who spend their entire days attacking servers..

my friend had to spend all night to fend off eastern european attacks.. he finally put in files labeled.. bad card numbers.. 200 buck limit..500 buck limit.. 5000 buck limit.. and over 25000 buck limit.. with increasing levels of security.. all the numbers were bad.. there. but if they managed to get into the over 25K limit.. they got downloaded every virus that had been released at that time..  one of the worst was a stock market employee again in an eastern european country..  my friend finally just pulled the plug and has gone off line altogether.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

ah yuuuuup.

Fraud everywhere. I've read the over seas attacks are getting worse week to week.  Gonna be interesting if a big attack does happen in a US company like a power grid.

My credit union said the big fraud deal  in recent months was HF and that is why my debit card was re-issued with no notice.

History shows  there are many more problems with CC industry and hackers.

I buy various items from HF on a regular basis.  

The gal at my credit union, had stopped at HF to buy some tie downs while they were going out camping on the weekend.  She said one purchase at HF in years and she had new cards issued

[papastoyss]

I'm old school, old fart, paranoid, whatever. I don't bank online,don't have a debit card, if I want to buy from an online vendor I call &buy over the phone w/my credit card.I realize thats still open to fraud but at least I know who has access to my card #. My son worked in Iraq & Kuwait for a military contractor for 7 ys, his debit card info was stolen twice which left him w/ no funds 'til we got a new acct. set up for him. He wised up & now never lets his card out of his sight.

[phat46]

I'm old school, old fart, paranoid, whatever. I don't bank online,don't have a debit card, if I want to buy from an online vendor I call &buy over the phone w/my credit card.I realize thats still open to fraud but at least I know who has access to my card #. My son worked in Iraq & Kuwait for a military contractor for 7 ys, his debit card info was stolen twice which left him w/ no funds 'til we got a new acct. set up for him. He wised up & now never lets his card out of his sight.

That's the way I am also, the ONLY thing I use a card for is gas; still not totally safe but it does limit the chances to one place.

[GPster]

I guess I'd better stop and get some cash. The pump for the waterfaal in our pond seemed to have quit yesterday. I'll check it out but it's cheaper to count on one $60.00 pump a year than to buy one $300.00 pump every two years. Of course that argument won't hold if someone gets access to our checking account. GPster

[papastoyss]

I'm old school, old fart, paranoid, whatever. I don't bank online,don't have a debit card, if I want to buy from an online vendor I call &buy over the phone w/my credit card.I realize thats still open to fraud but at least I know who has access to my card #. My son worked in Iraq & Kuwait for a military contractor for 7 ys, his debit card info was stolen twice which left him w/ no funds 'til we got a new acct. set up for him. He wised up & now never lets his card out of his sight.

That's the way I am also, the ONLY thing I use a card for is gas; still not totally safe but it does limit the chances to one place.

I don't stick my card in a gas pump either,when we're traveling my wife goes in & pays cash, our gas tank is larger than our bladder anyway!

[Crosley.In.AZ]

some of you old guys need to step into 2002 at least. LOL  

my account that was compromized is my old business account from my self employed daze. I switched the account over to regular guy account.  I dont use it for too much besides car stuff or motorcycle stuff.

In fact : the account sometimes is inactive long enough I receive email or a fone call about the account.  The credit union wants some activity each month.  I usually just tell them I have been "ill " and they shut up.  Kinda odd too , since my IRA is attached to this account and regular deposits were made to the IRA..  for some reason that did NOT keep them happy.

[phat46]

some of you old guys need to step into 2002 at least. LOL  

my account that was compromized is my old business account from my self employed daze. I switched the account over to regular guy account.  I dont use it for too much besides car stuff or motorcycle stuff.

In fact : the account sometimes is inactive long enough I receive email or a fone call about the account.  The credit union wants some activity each month.  I usually just tell them I have been "ill " and they shut up.  Kinda odd too , since my IRA is attached to this account and regular deposits were made to the IRA..  for some reason that did NOT keep them happy.

Used to use my cards for everything, I thought it was the greatest thing. Got free airline tickets for getting "reward" points, and money back at the end of the year.....that was until a card got "compromised". That was a fun deal to undo and we got a great education about just how easy it is the get your card numbers. It is just a matter of luck if your card is not the one someone is after at that moment.  I don't need to help the bad guys by putting my numbers out there where it really is just a matter of time before it's your turn to get robbed. And I haven't found a place yet that won't take my folding money.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Friend of mine, his card was zapped 3 days ago by spammers.

last week, he bought some stuff from Harbor Freight.

May be only a coincidence

[purplepickup]

If you google HF hacked, there is a lot of news articles about their credit card records being compromised in July.  
HF hack

It's happening everywhere.  Makes ya feel real comfy having all your life's info tucked away in the cozy little government Bluffdale Utah data center doesn't it?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

good post George, thanks.

Interesting article on how the USA lags behind with old tech on the cards and magnetic strips use

[Carps]

I use a cash card.

It has no links to my accounts and the only money that can be drawn from it is what I load into it.

Great for shopping on line, find out how much is needed, load it into card and then shop using the cash loaded to the card.

When not in use, transfer the suplus/leftover cash back to savings account and load up the cash card next time I'm headed off on a trip or want to shop on line.

Talk to your bank, they all offer these things.  Less risk for you, less risk for them.