Digital Star unauthorized charge
Complaint
Steve
Country: United States
A preauthorization for $74.95 from Digital Star with a bad phone number (208-123-7377) showed up on my debit card account 1/29/12. Called bank fraud department and had the account killed immediately. They stopped the charge since it had not completed. Do not know who Digital Star is or what the charge was for. I use the card for online purchases mainly through Amazon. No purchases in the last 30 dqays. However, I placed orders in the last 60 days from a company called Turncraft (woodworking plans), Personal Creations, and Entirely Pets. I wonder what companies others have used recently.
Comments
What bank?
There are starting to appear complaints of repeat charges showing up, following earlier charges.
If you failed to block your card with the original charges, perhaps waiting for the charge to post, or to receive paperwork to file a dispute, you may find yourself charged a second time as this scam appears to be reusing already used card information.
All theories aside of how this is happening we all are well aware the only way to make changes are to get enough people aware of the situation. With so many social networks and twitter I think we can make this happen=)
I count at least two other recent reports of reusing card numbers already used for earlier fraudulent charges. They start showing up about the same point in time the larger $149.99 charges start appearing. Both suggest increasing impatience to grab the money while the grabbing is good.
"Reusing" argues for a limited amount of compromised card information, compared to the total number of fraudulent charges being made. That implies there is a cost (or risk) to obtaining the new card numbers and exp. dates needed to make the charges.
Your summary of geography all over the map argues against, say, card skimming as a source.
Your summary of banks all over the map argues against a bank hack.
The reports of a fair number of cards infrequently, or even never used, argues against a merchant hack.
Reports of charges to cards never used online argues against a virus.
3 complaints, totalling 5 reported $1 "ping" charges immediately preceeding fraudulent charges, argue in favor of the capability to obtain valid card information by "pinging" card information on sites that allow this to be used to probe validity.
All of the above points toward "pinging".
Only the post by "ryan", above, alleging his bank reported they had his CCV number, points away from "pinging", and toward a virus or hack.
The post appeared within 2 hours of my post that Amazon and others could block "pinging" by requiring a CCV number before they verify card information, as a way to prevent their sites from being used as part of this type of scheme.
There is no advantage or requirement to having CCV numbers to run through charges, as discovered fraudulent charges will be disputed by consumers when found whether CCV numbers were submitted with the frraudulent charge or not.
There have been no reports from any victims of "Digital Star" objecting to any of the fraud disputes, or even that any bank reports any response at all. This is consistent with the reported information that "Digital Star LLC" is dissolved.
Did the $1 ping show up first?
What company was the ping charged as? Digital Star, or some other company?
Was the $1.21 charge for "international/currency conversion" or something similar?
In other words, are they "pinging" through "Digital Star", or through other companies like Amazon, as others have reported?
Yours is the 4th report of a "ping" preceding the fraudulent charge, and the second "ping" reported to use ATT.
Please contact the Secret Service.
Yeah, right...
It's still safer to block and not use debit cards, rather than deal with the risk of losses from missed fraud, or the possible cascade of losses from NSF fees. The banks have not been acting proactively enough to contain even obvious fraud.
In addition, notify your bank to block the card number, to prevent additional fraudulent charges.
These crooks are starting to rerun card numbers used earlier.
Nothing you can do will stop Digital Star. They are overseas and our banks, which make billions in profit, do not care and will simply attempt to charge-back. One can only hope that eventually the bank on the receiving end of what should be hundreds of charge-backs will close the Digital Star account.