Did I accept a Stolen Credit Card? Or was it just a weird situtation?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

My company (not my store) had an issue some time back with stolen credit card-issued gift cards.

A group of people would enter a store, start randomly tossing stuff into carts, distract any employees they happened across, finish off with a couple big-ticket items like iPads, and then attempt to pay with it all with a credit card-issued gift card that didn't scan.

Then they would direct the cashier to punch in the numbers. Most didn't but a couple did.

This lead to a directive from LP never to hand-key the numbers off a credit card-issued gift card, but we were still okay to hand-key numbers off credit cards. Which to me is confusing--seems if we can't hand-key one we shouldn't be hand-keying the other.

As for the OP--I agree this was somebody trying multiple fraudulent cards to find out which one was working.

[VComps]

Most credit card companies have an authorization line - if you're ever suspicious about a credit transaction, tell the customer you need to call for authorization, then when you call, tell them you need a "Code 10" authorization. This means "I suspect this transaction to be fraudulent." They will ask you some yes or no questions, then usually ask to speak to the customer. If its really hinky they may actually call the cardholder to verify if they're in the store.

But the biggest thing is always trust your instincts. You do thousands of transactions a year, you know what legitimate ones look and feel like.

[fireheart]

Keep in mind that it was one book = $5. Not multiple books which are $10 and higher. Does that mean this was his last small purchase? probable, but unlikely. If I knew I could use a stolen card, I'd be hitting Best Buy instead of Five Below. Does that make sense?

He may have been using the card in small amounts to test to see whether the card actually works. Also, a number of smaller transactions may not always raise a red flag in the eyes of either the cardholder, the merchant, the bank that issued it (depending on whether or not its issued from a bank) or similar.

[TimmyHate]

My company (not my store) had an issue some time back with stolen credit card-issued gift cards.

A group of people would enter a store, start randomly tossing stuff into carts, distract any employees they happened across, finish off with a couple big-ticket items like iPads, and then attempt to pay with it all with a credit card-issued gift card that didn't scan.

Then they would direct the cashier to punch in the numbers. Most didn't but a couple did.

This lead to a directive from LP never to hand-key the numbers off a credit card-issued gift card, but we were still okay to hand-key numbers off credit cards. Which to me is confusing--seems if we can't hand-key one we shouldn't be hand-keying the other.

As for the OP--I agree this was somebody trying multiple fraudulent cards to find out which one was working.

Interestingly I had an issue recently while on holiday.

As part of our travel prize we got a $500 visa prepaid card. Worked fine over the internet, but when we tired to use it in stores it would say 'not authorised'. Finally when I tried it at the hotel the girl realised it was a 'electronic transaction only' card - so she punched in the numbers directly and it worked.

Just a head up that sometimes that can be legitimate.

[TimmyHate]

Possible its something technically bad but not harmful like a relative sent him out to get it or something. That happens with my callers now and then. Gotta remind them they can't just use someone else's credit card even if they are family or friends. -.-

Oh how I LOTHE those converstions:

C: But its my wife/brothers/sons/cats
M: I'm sorry but I can only take details from the card holder
C: But but but...


ARGH. Thank the lord/satan/evoluntionary process that I no longer take payments.

[KiaKat]

I denied a credit card sale last night.

Let me back up a bit.

These customers were horrid from point one. First, they called after we closed, asking what our hours are. Our hours are posted everywhere you'd find our phone number, I'm the one who updates the info, therefore I KNOW you can't find the number without finding our hours. We told them we were technically closed, however if they made it there before we were done, we'd let them in. Bad move on our parts. They showed up thirty seconds before we booked it, so we let them in.

We let one in. The other one vanished for a couple minutes, so the first one had to go find him. Finally they both show up.

They looked like teenagers. We carded them, 22 and 25. Fine. They wanted to pay with a credit card - after we've shut everything down, that's actually easier, so fine.

Then they dithered. "What do we want? Do we want more than one bottle? How many bottles do we want? Do we want red or white?" I ended up asking them how many bottles (two red, one white), what price ($10-15), and do they care what grape or region (no)? I grabbed some inexpensive (read: less than $12) bottles and started ringing them out.

They handed me a card with a woman's name on it.

I shut that sucker down. Told them I needed the cardholder present to run the card, but they were welcome to use cash or another form of payment. Neither of them had enough money on their cards (we're talking $35 after tax), so the one ran BACK outside to grab his girlfriend, who was in the car (and standing in a handicap space, even though there are plenty of normal spaces available...). Instead of coming back with her, he comes back with cash, and says they're only getting two bottles. I put one of them aside, he hands me thirty dollars, I give him change.

The whole thing was horrid. And I'm STILL not sure the card was legit.

Due to the way chargebacks work, if the card is stolen, we're on the hook for it. I'd rather deny a credit card sale, especially for a tiny amount, than run the risk of dealing with a chargeback, and all its paperwork, as well as the hazard of a potential rate increase due to perceived vulnerability.

But then, I'm a hardass bitch when it comes to ID and cards.

[wolfie]

They handed me a card with a woman's name on it.

I shut that sucker down. Told them I needed the cardholder present to run the card, but they were welcome to use cash or another form of payment. Neither of them had enough money on their cards (we're talking $35 after tax), so the one ran BACK outside to grab his girlfriend, who was in the car (and standing in a handicap space, even though there are plenty of normal spaces available...). Instead of coming back with her, he comes back with cash, and says they're only getting two bottles. I put one of them aside, he hands me thirty dollars, I give him change.

I suspect one of two things:

- Card didn't belong to girlfriend (as you suspected)

- Card belonged to girlfriend, but she was too young to buy booze legally, and if she had come in, you'd have needed to ID her.

Since they went and got money from a 3rd party, I'd have insisted on bringing in the 3rd party to be IDed - don't want to get caught in a 3rd party sale to an underage person.

[Sapphire Silk]

Personally, I tend to stonewall customers when credit card oddities occur until they can successfully jump through all of my nefarious hoops..

That's it! Of course! Just ask the SC for his zip code when running a sketchy credit card.

The stupid switch will automatically move to the "On" position, freeing you from making the questionable call in the first place.

GK, you're a genius.

[Halo_miles]

Sounds like ID theft to me. I've seen this happen before; people coming from another country by illegal means, and grabbing someone's ID (either from their country of origin, or another), then playing the, "I don't understand English" card.

Though, sometimes it has turned out (albeit very rarely), that someone just wasn't familiar with how things go over here. But, it seems extremely suspicious. It's good that you wrote down the name. At least, if it does turn out to be fraud, then you've got a description and information.

[Gravekeeper]

The stupid switch will automatically move to the "On" position, freeing you from making the questionable call in the first place.

Never really questionable at my company. We're free to shut it down if its suspect in any way. Happens a fair amount from the same category of caller though. They try to place orders in the names of other friends or family members. Either because the person in question is too lazy to do it themselves ( yet still has the energy to drunkenly yell what the want in the background ) or they're blacklisted so they can't place it in their name.

Thats why you see the occasional call in my posts where some guy calls and tries to tell me his name is Barbara. -.-

[KiaKat]

I suspect one of two things:

- Card didn't belong to girlfriend (as you suspected)

- Card belonged to girlfriend, but she was too young to buy booze legally, and if she had come in, you'd have needed to ID her.

Since they went and got money from a 3rd party, I'd have insisted on bringing in the 3rd party to be IDed - don't want to get caught in a 3rd party sale to an underage person.

The one guy made it fairly clear that the cash was his, he'd just left it in the car.

Honestly, I think she just didn't want to be bothered with the whole process of coming into the store. Or she was annoyed with them for keeping us open late. I'm not really sure which, but it wasn't a sting (I've gotten pretty good at reading those), and the whole thing just stunk of early-twenties entitlement.

[Silent-Hunter]

Oh how I LOTHE those converstions:

C: But its my wife/brothers/sons/cats
M: I'm sorry but I can only take details from the card holder
C: But but but...


ARGH. Thank the lord/satan/evoluntionary process that I no longer take payments.

My mum used to send me to the grocer ALL THE TIME with her credit card. I just signed my name, and no problems ever occurred.