[starshiphome]

I was just checking my credit card accounts online (being a raging paranoid, I do this every couple of weeks or so on all accounts), and found two charges on a card that I have not even had out of my wallet for a year or so, and don't use for any revolving charges of any kind. The charges were as follows:

1) 9/13/2006 AP9* Trial Home BNI, 800-333-1915, CA $1.00
2) 9/20/2006 AP9* Bargain Homes W, 800-333-1915, CA $39.80

This is a Capital One card that I have had so long I don't even remember when I got it. The last time I used it was the first of October last year, so the card number had to have been stolen from some processing place somewhere; I don't even have this card saved on any of my shopping sites (well, to be truthful, I don't let ANY of the stores save my card number unless they require it).

I called Capital One and had them cancel & reissue the card with a new number. So you might want to check your Mastercard/Visa accounts and make sure that this AP9 place is not charging any of your inactive accounts. From the info I read in a Google search, they are not exactly reputable anyway.

Ruth

[kas]

Hopefully Capital One will work with you and inform AP9 to pound sand. Recently MSN ran the following article, Weird stuff that hurts your credit, that make having a Capital One CC a PIA.

This post has been edited by kas: 9-27-06, 1:20pm

[mykoleary]

Use Yodlee.

I have started using them and am very pleased. They created the back end engine that Quicken and Money use for online consolidation.

You can add cards (AND utilities!) to your Yodlee account and set all sorts of alerts. You can have close to limit on CC, close to overdraft on chekcing, transaction > $x on CC, you can even extend the limit alerts to let you know if you're getting close to using all your cell phone minutes for the month!

For this card, if you never use it, have an alert for transaction > $1 and you'll get an alert in your email that the card was used. No need to remember to check all your "dead" App-O-Rama cards all the time.

[thiernyl]

I was just checking my credit card accounts online (being a raging paranoid, I do this every couple of weeks or so on all accounts), and found two charges on a card that I have not even had out of my wallet for a year or so, and don't use for any revolving charges of any kind. The charges were as follows:

1) 9/13/2006 AP9* Trial Home BNI, 800-333-1915, CA $1.00
2) 9/20/2006 AP9* Bargain Homes W, 800-333-1915, CA $39.80

This is a Capital One card that I have had so long I don't even remember when I got it. The last time I used it was the first of October last year, so the card number had to have been stolen from some processing place somewhere; I don't even have this card saved on any of my shopping sites (well, to be truthful, I don't let ANY of the stores save my card number unless they require it).

I called Capital One and had them cancel & reissue the card with a new number. So you might want to check your Mastercard/Visa accounts and make sure that this AP9 place is not charging any of your inactive accounts. From the info I read in a Google search, they are not exactly reputable anyway.

Ruth

[thiernyl]

I have just had the same experience like yours: two charges to my credit card dated one week apart by AP9* Trial Home BNI,800-333-1915, CA and AP9* BARGAIN HOMES W, 800-333-1915, respectively. I called my bank which had an investating agent immediately make a telephone call conference involving an AP9* employee and myself. The AP9*'s employee claimed that someone had just called in to cancel the service and I will get refunded. My bank has cancelled my credit card and I have to wait for a new one.

The minutes I saw the charges on my credit card statement, I suspected they were frauds. I wonder how many frauds had gone unnoticedby by card holders and what can be done to punnish the frauders. My bank advises me not to use credit card on the Internet. I tend to avoided purchasing on the Internet although quite tempted sometimes by the convenience it offers. But your credit card number is almost in the public domain with payments at gas stations, in restaurants, department stores... If we cannot catch a thief who stole and used our credit card, it's because we don't know his whereabout. But you cannot do anything against someone who has an Internet business with a phone number and may have an office and just uses your credit card number to charge for services you never ask. It's quite annoying.

[garsh]

AP9 is dealpass. They run a number of programs where you pay a monthly fee, and in return you can buy giftcards for various stores at a discount.

Some of the programs, and instructions for taking advantage of them, are described in this thread.

[garsh]

I should also mention that the common way for people to unknowingly sign up for one of these programs is as follows:

After completing an online purchase, you are given an offer for a free giftcard, or $10 off your next order, or something like that. This is usually an offer for one of these clubs. Many people sign up for these programs without realizing what they're doing.

[qwex]

I was just checking my credit card accounts online (being a raging paranoid, I do this every couple of weeks or so on all accounts)

I check my cards almost every day...I wonder what that makes me?

[starshiphome]

I check my cards almost every day...I wonder what that makes me?

The only person in the world more paranoid than me? Actually, it is very rare that I wait as long as a couple of weeks. I watch most of my cards daily too.

garsh, I do understand that some people sign up for things and don't realize that it is an ongoing authorization for some kind of charge - but I am not one of those people. I read everything, including fine print on offers. And this card had not been used for a year at all, either real world or online. So the only explanation in my case was fraud, pure and simple.

mykoleary, are you still please with Yodlee? I am seriously contemplating this. It just worries me to have all of my card information in one place.

Ruth